Return to the Sengoku
by Tonyf96
Summary: Sequel to "Inuyasha's True Feelings"...Inu and Kagome's son (Inuyara) and Sango and Miroku's daughter (Saroko) are both curious teenagers..Follow their exciting adventures! InuyaraSaroko
1. Default Chapter

Return to the Sengoku  
  
By Tonyf  
  
This is the sequel to my first story, 'Inuyasha's True Feelings'. You should probably read that first if you haven't already (you don't have to, though; if you want to read this without understanding it, go right ahead, as long as you review). This story will be all about Inuyasha and Kagome's son (Inuyara) and Miroku and Sango's daughter (Saroko) and their adventures. They will both be 18 years old, and they are certainly prone to trouble. Enjoy! Tonyf   
  
(Authors note - This is going to start where the last chapter of 'Inuyasha's True Feelings' left off, so don't be confused.)  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Where the hell am I?" Inuyara asked himself while rubbing his head. He remembered jumping through the well, falling a long way, and bumping his head on the ground. Now, he was looking up and realizing that everything smelled differently. "My parents said that the well was permanently closed off. I'm obviously in the feudal era, though, because this definitely isn't home. Before he knew what was happening, something appeared above him and landed right on top of him. "Saroko?" He asked, his voice muffled by her leg (which was over his mouth). "Yeah, that's me. Something tells me we're not in Kansas anymore!" She said nervously. "We weren't in Kansas before!" Inuyara yelled. "Idiot." Saroko thought to herself.  
  
The pair climbed out of the well, and they were amazed by their surroundings. "This place is beautiful! There isn't any pollution or trash, and everything looks clean and new!" Saroko exclaimed. "Yeah, it seems like a nice enough place. According to the stories we've been told, though, this place is a lot more dangerous than home. We have to be on guard." Inuyara said to her. "I'm not worried about demons. Naraku was the strongest demon, and he's gone. Who's left to worry about?" Saroko said confidently. "Good point, but who knows what's been going on here? It's been almost 20 years since our parents were here. New and stronger demons could have taken over the place in that time!" Inuyara replied. "We know how to fight. I'm not worried one bit. Now let's go exploring!" Saroko said, grabbing Inuyara's arm and pulling him towards the nearby village.  
  
As they ran, Inuyara felt something on his neck. He slapped at it, and it fell off into his hand. "Myouga!" He exclaimed, looking at the flattened flea lying in his hand. "Yeah, that's my name." Myouga said groggily. "Why are you with me? We might be heading towards danger. Shouldn't you be hiding somewhere in my parents house?" Inuyara said sarcastically. "Actually, I fell asleep in your pocket." Myouga whispered, almost inaudibly. "Figures." Inuyara sneered. "Good to see you, Myouga. Actually, Inuyara, I brought a friend too!" Saroko exclaimed. With that, she opened her backpack and a small fox demon hopped out. "Shippo? Why did you come here?" Inuyara asked. "I didn't know the two of you were coming here! Sango asked me to go with Saroko so I could keep an eye on you guys! As long as I'm here, though, I might as well see how my old home has held up!" Shippo replied. "Fine, then. You can lead us to my parents old friend's house. I'd like to meet her." Inuyara said to Shippo. "Oh, you mean Kaede! Sure, I'll show you the way!" Shippo exclaimed.  
  
"This village looks empty! I haven't seen one person since we got here." Inuyara exclaimed. "Yeah, it does seem strangely quiet here." Shippo said. The group arrived at Kaede's door, and Saroko knocked gently. No answer. She tried once more, and again there was no answer. "You need to be more aggressive than that!" Inuyara exclaimed. With that, he kicked the door down. "Are you here, Kaede?" Inuyara yelled. "Nothing like the direct approach." Saroko whispered to Shippo, and they both sweat-dropped at his boldness. There was no answer, though, so they decided to search the house. As they walked through, they couldn't find any signs of life. Suddenly, Inuyara stopped. "I smell... blood." He whispered to his friends. "Blood? Where?" Saroko asked, worried. "It's not fresh. It's been here for years. It's everywhere. The smell has faded over time, though, and that's why I didn't notice it before." Inuyara answered. "What do you mean 'everywhere'?" Shippo asked. "I mean that it's all over the village. This entire village was slaughtered by something." Inuyara said quietly.  
  
Well, that's it for Chapter 1; Chapter 2 will be up soon! Please review! Tonyf 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Sorry about the hold-up. I was busy with work, and I had homework from college. You probably don't want to hear my excuses, though. I'll get right to the action. Here's Chapter 2! Tonyf  
  
"It's been over a day, Inuyasha! Where in the heck are they?" Kagome asked, worry written all over her face. "I don't have any idea. I wouldn't be that worried if it was just Inuyara that was missing, since he wanders off all the time. It's not like Saroko, Shippo, and especially Myouga to be missing for this long, though." Inuyasha replied. "Well, I'm going to look for them. Talking isn't going to find them!" Sango yelled, getting up from her seat. "Yeah, she's right. I'll go with her." Inuyasha said to Kagome. "What about Miroku and I?" Kagome asked. "You two just wait here, in case they try to call you." Inuyasha said as he ran out the door. "So, any ideas on where to start the search?" Sango asked her friend. "No, not really. I just figured that I would try to pick up their scents. My senses aren't as strong as they used to be, but I would recognize Inuyara's smell anywhere." Inuyasha replied. He sniffed around, and he realized that Inuyara's scent was everywhere! He trained outside all the time, so it was hard to pick out which scent was the most recent. "This may take awhile." Inuyasha grumbled as he sniffed the ground.  
  
(Meanwhile, in the Feudal Era...)  
  
"What do you mean the entire village was slaughtered?" Shippo yelled, shock washing over him. "What the hell do you think I meant? There's only one way to interpret 'the entire village was slaughtered', isn't there?" Inuyara responded sarcastically. "Shut up, Inuyara! Leave Shippo alone! This has to be tough for him to hear, considering that he used to live here." Saroko said to her insensitive friend. "Yes, I can smell the blood now. It must have been a very strong demon that pulled this off." Myouga observed. "Why do you say that? With no one here to protect them, any old demon probably could have offed these people." Inuyara said. "No, you have to look into it deeper. Judging by the smell, all of this blood was spilled in about a minute, or maybe even less. I don't know of any demons that could slaughter such a large village so quickly. Also, this slaughter was all done by the same demon. I can't place it, but there is only one demon's scent permeating this village." Myouga responded. "We need to kill this demon! How can we find it, Myouga?" Saroko asked. "I'm not sure if the two of you are ready for a demon as powerful as this one. Maybe you should go get your parents to help you." Myouga said reluctantly. "Hell no! Saroko and I can handle this thing on our own. In case you haven't noticed, we're both as strong as our parents, maybe even stronger." Inuyara snarled. "Yeah, I agree. Inuyara and I can take this demon down. I'm sure you can just pick up it's scent and track it down, Inuyara." Saroko said. "Yeah, I will. Let's go!" Inuyara yelled, grabbing Saroko's arm and pulling her out the door. "Why are people always so impetuous in their youth?" Myouga said aloud, to no one in particular. Shippo, meanwhile, was standing in the corner, tears dripping from his eyes. "Why did this have to happen? K- Kaede." Shippo sobbed.  
  
"Can you pick up a trail yet?" Saroko asked. "Yeah, I can smell him. He's somewhere in this forest up ahead. He reeks of human blood." Inuyara said angrily, a glint of rage shimmering in his eyes. "We can kill it, though, right?" Saroko asked, feeling a little uneasy all of the sudden. "Yeah, of course we can! If you're scared, you can always go back home." Inuyara said tauntingly. "I'm not scared! Besides, you'd be helpless without me, little doggy!" Saroko replied, patting his head. Inuyara brushed her hand away, and he looked towards a large tree in the center of the forest. "The demon is up there." Inuyara whispered, putting one arm in front of Saroko while pointing at the tree with the other. "So, what are we waiting for?" Saroko said with a grin. She took her boomerang ( You know, that large weapon that Sango always carries. I don't know what it's called, so I'm calling it a boomerang. Tonyf ) and threw it at the tree. The tree was sliced in half, and it quickly fell to the ground. "So, where's the demon? Did it die in the fall?" Saroko asked after she saw no sign of her intended target. "Nope. I'm right here, girl." A menacing voice bellowed from behind our heroes. Inuyara and Saroko turned around, and they couldn't believe what they saw. "It... looks similar to my father!" Inuyara said, in awe of the demon that stood in front of him. "The name's Sesshomarai, and I haven't killed anyone in awhile. The two of you look strong, so this might be fun." The monster said with a laugh. With that, he charged at Inuyara and Saroko.  
  
Well, that's it for chapter 2. Sesshomarai? That name sounds similar to one that I've heard before... I think it was someone related to Inuyasha... nah, couldn't be. Anyways, big fight in the next chapter! I promise, it'll be up soon. Please review!!!!!! Tonyf 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
This chapter will be Inuyara Saroko vs. Sesshomarai! Hopefully, the demon will explain who he is and how he's connected to Inuyasha. Can our heroes beat this new foe? Read on to find out! Tonyf   
  
Inuyara and Saroko jumped to opposite sides, and Sesshomarai's swipe missed both of them. The force from the swipe was powerful enough to slice through Inuyara's sleeve, though. He looked down at his ripped clothing, amazed at how powerful Sesshomarai was. "What the hell is that sword made out of?" Inuyara asked. ( Sesshomarai is fighting them with a sword, in case you couldn't figure it out. Tonyf ) "Not that it's any of your business, but it is made from the fang of a mighty demon. My father gave it to me, actually." Sesshomarai replied coldly. "Your father? Who might that be?" Saroko asked. "The man who gave me life and the Tolkijn is named Sesshomeru." Sesshomarai replied with an evil grin. After hearing this, Inuyara and Saroko just stood still with shock. "You're... my cousin, then?" Inuyara said, dumbfounded. "I thought that you looked and smelled familiar. You're Inuyasha's boy! Killing you will be my crowning achievement, then. You're girlfriend's death will be frosting on the cake." Sesshomarai said evilly, licking his lips in anticipation. "We'll see!" Inuyara yelled, unsheathing the Tetsuiga (a gift from his father) and rushing at Sesshomarai. "Wait, Inuyara! We have to work together!" Saroko yelled out. "Stay back! I don't want you to get hurt. I'll handle this." Inuyara said with a grin as he swung his sword at Sesshomarai.  
  
(Meanwhile, back in the present...)  
  
"Can you sniff him out yet?" Sango asked, quickly becoming impatient. "You've been asking that for the last 20 minutes! I'll tell you when I find the freshest scent!" Inuyasha yelled out angrily. Finally, Inuyasha found what he was looking for. "Here it is. Follow me." Inuyasha said, taking off towards the scent. "Wait up!" Sango yelled, running after him. After a lot of running, they ended up at the well. "Why the hell does the scent end here? The well is permanently closed!" Inuyasha said, confused. "I have no idea. Can you smell Saroko anywhere around here?" Sango asked. "Yeah, her scent ends at the well, too." Inuyasha replied. "Well, maybe they found a way to get through the well. Maybe it's open again!" Sango exclaimed. "No way. It's impossible." Inuyasha said stubbornly. "Well, why don't you check and see?" Sango said, and she shoved Inuyasha down the well. "Whhaattt ttthee hhheeeellllllll.....ommph." Inuyasha yelled. "Maybe not. Sorry about that!" Sango said sweetly, trying to hold back a laugh. "#$#%&##$&!!!!!!" Inuyasha yelled up. "Language, language. You really should watch your mouth." Sango said with a laugh.  
  
(Back in the Feudal Era...)  
  
Sesshomarai dodged the Tetsuiga, and he knocked Inuyara to the ground. "Foolish, foolish. Do you really think you can beat me?" Sesshomarai said tauntingly. The demon was surprised, though, when a large boomerang came flying at him. Even with his amazing speed, Sesshomarai was almost chopped in half. Almost. He managed to get his sword up in time, and he was able to knock the weapon to the ground. "What do you think you're doing, girl? I'm way out of your league." Sesshomarai rasped. "I don't think so!" Saroko yelled, and she charged at him. Her fighting skills were impressive, but they weren't nearly enough. After dodging a few blows, Sesshomarai threw her aside (right through a tree). She slumped to the ground, unconscious. "Bastard!" Inuyara yelled, jumping up quickly and surprising Sesshomarai. He managed to blast the demon right in the face with his fist, and Sesshomarai went flying through a couple trees. He stood up quickly, though, and he had a smile on his face. "So, you'll die fighting. That at least makes this interesting." Sesshomarai said with a grin, wiping a stream of blood from his mouth.  
  
Inuyara didn't even hear Sesshomarai, though. He immediately ran to Saroko's side. "Saroko! Are you okay? Please be okay!" He said frantically, propping her head up on his knee. She slowly opened her eyes, and she flashed Inuyara a weak smile. "Yeah, I'll be okay. I definitely underestimated him, though. Be careful, Inuyara." Saroko said. "Are you sure you're okay?" Inuyara asked, concern flashing in his eyes. Saroko noticed this, and she couldn't help but smile. "This is a touching moment, but it will be your last." Sesshomarai said, standing directly behind them. He held up the Tolkijn, and he swung it towards Inuyara and Saroko. Saroko closed her eyes, and Inuyara tried to shield her with his body. He prepared for the stabbing pain of a sword slicing through him, but Inuyara felt nothing. He slowly opened his eyes, and he was shocked by what he saw. Sesshomarai's sword was being held back... by Sesshomeru!  
  
Inuyara and Saroko were about to meet their fate, but they were saved by.... Sesshomeru? Huh? Sesshy has some explaining to do, and expect it to come in the next chapter. Chapter 4 will be out soon! Please review! Please? Pretty please? Tonyf 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
I'm back! It's been a few days, but I didn't forget about my story. Sesshomeru just saved Inuyara and Saroko's lives, but why? Read on to find out! Tonyf   
  
"Father? What the hell are you doing?" Sesshomarai asked, stunned by Sesshomeru's sudden appearance. "Stopping you." Sesshomeru said calmly. He threw the Tolkijn to the ground, and he ordered his son to go away. "I don't have to listen to you anymore! No one is the boss of Sesshomarai!" Sesshomarai yelled. "NOW!!!" Sesshomeru yelled, fire in his eyes. "Whatever." Sesshomarai mumbled, jumping in the air and quickly disappearing. "Okay, not that we're not grateful, but why did you save us? Aren't you evil?" Saroko asked, confused. "I made a promise to your father a long time ago ( This is where reading 'Inuyasha's True Feelings' really comes in handy. If you haven't read it yet, the promise that Sesshomeru is referring to is in one of the later chapters Tonyf). By stopping my son from killing you, I am just keeping my promise." Sesshomeru responded. "What kind of promise? My father always told me that you spent years trying to steal the Tetsuiga and kill him!" Inuyara said. "True, I did. He obviously didn't tell you about our last encounter, though." Sesshomeru replied cooly. "What happened?" Saroko asked. "Don't worry about it. If Inuyasha ever wants you two to know about it, than I'm sure he'll tell you." Sesshomeru said. "Fine. How did you get back to this time, though? And who did you have a kid with?" Inuyara asked, suddenly very curious about his uncle. "I don't know why I'm suddenly conversing with the child of a man that was once my hated enemy." Sesshomeru said with a hint of a frown on his face. "Why not?" Saroko asked, anger starting to build inside her. "Hah. I see that you have found a woman with a strong will, similar to the one my brother was attached to." Sesshomeru said with a hint of sarcasm. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? We're just friends! I could never feel that way about her!" Inuyara yelled, his face turning red. "Oh, really? You 'could never feel that way' about me? Humph." Saroko said angrily, crossing her arms and turning her back to Inuyara. "Did I say something wrong?" Inuyara said quietly. "I see that my brother has taught you how to alienate women and be oblivious to their feelings." Sesshomaru whispered in reply.  
  
(Meanwhile, back in the present...)  
  
Inuyasha finally managed to climb out of the well, and it took all of his willpower to keep from exploding at Sango. "Okay, if they didn't go down the well, then where did they go?" Sango asked. "That's just it. I can smell them down the well. Their scents are in there!" Inuyasha said. "What are you saying?" Sango asked. "I'm saying that they did go down the well. I don't know how, but it seems like they found some way to get through to the Feudal Era." Inuyasha replied. "My god. If they really are in the Feudal Era, who knows what kind of trouble they could be getting into?" Sango said with a worried expression. "One more thing, though. I smelled Sesshomeru's scent down there as well!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "Sesshomeru? He got through the well somehow, too?" Sango asked, a look of shock on her face. "Yeah, it seems that way. We have to find a way to get through the well, and quickly!" Inuyasha said, concern written on his face. "I'll go get Kagome and Miroku. Maybe they'll be able to come up with some ideas." Sango said, running back to get their friends.  
  
(Back in the Feudal Era...)  
  
"Well, I guess that I could explain those things for you. (I have nothing better to do...)" Sesshomeru mumbled. "I had Sesshomarai with a woman named Rin. She is the love of my life." He explained. "Who is this 'Rin'? Was she part demon, or did she have any powers?" Saroko asked. "No, she is just a normal human. Being an upper-class demon, I used to think it was embarassing to have relations with humans, but I finally found true love with Rin." Sesshomeru said. "Yeah, that's great. How and when did you get back to the Feudal Era? My father said that the last time he saw you, you were in the present time." Inuyara asked impatiently. "I came back through the well about eight years ago. I wanted to raise my son in this time period, but I quickly lost control of him. Before I knew it, he was going out and slaughtering innocent people. I wouldn't have cared in the past, but being with Rin changed me. I've tried to stop him without killing him, but i've been unsuccessful so far." Sesshomeru said, a tinge of regret in his voice. "The well was permanently sealed by my parents! How could you have gotten through it?" Inuyara asked. "Hell if I know! I would imagine that I got through the same way you and your girlfriend did, by jumping through." Sesshomeru said sarcastically. "She's not my girlfriend!" Inuyara yelled. "Yeah, we all heard that already." Saroko said icilly. "Am I missing something?" Inuyara whispered again. "Idiot." Saroko and Sesshomeru thought simultaneously.  
  
That's it for #4. The mystery of how Inuyara and Saroko (and now Sesshomeru) got through the supposedly 'sealed' well is still unsolved (Thanks, Sesshy, you were a boatload of help! NOT!). If Inuyara and Saroko can go through the well, why can't Inuyasha? Hopefully, answers will come soon. Chapter 5 will be out before you know it! Please review! Tonyf 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
It's been awhile, but my computer problems are finally over (for now). I'll be regularly updating my story now, so be on the lookout for new chapters soon. Here's Chapter 5! Tonyf   
  
"Okay, what do we do next?" Inuyara asked Saroko. They had just finished their conversation with Sesshomeru, who had to go home for dinner with his wife (Didn't Sesshy say something in 'Inuyasha's True Feelings' about Inuyasha becoming whipped? Obviously, he wasn't able to avoid the same fate! Tonyf). "Well, we should go pick up Shippo and Myouga and try to go through the well again." Saroko replied. "Why the hell would we do that? We can't leave this place until we kill Sesshomarai!" Inuyara yelled defiantly. "We can come back! Our parents must be worried sick. We should at least go tell them where we are!" Saroko said angrily, as she was quickly becoming impatient with her bold and pig-headed friend. "Whatever." Inuyara grumbled.  
  
The pair finally caught up with Shippo and Myouga, and they explained where they had been and what they were planning on doing. "That sounds like a great idea, my lord!" Myouga said enthusiastically. "Yeah, you WOULD think so. I bet you think that you can stay back home with my father so you can avoid any danger!" Inuyara snarled. "Yeah, that was the idea." Myouga mumbled. "I'm coming back with you guys. I want to help you guys defeat that murderer in any way I can!" Shippo said, desperately wanting revenge on Sesshomarai. "Are you sure? I'm sure that it'll be dangerous!" Saroko said, unsure of Shippo's ability to defend himself. "Yeah, of course I'm sure!" Shippo said, trying to hide his grief with a nervous smile.  
  
After awhile, the four friends reached the infamous well. "Okay, you go first." Saroko said to Inuyara. "Why do I have to go first? Why don't you go?" Inuyara whined. "What does it matter? Just go!" Saroko yelled, shoving him down the well headfirst.  
  
(Meanwhile, in modern times...)  
  
"Any ideas, Kagome? Sango and I have no clue how to get through the well." Inuyasha said, glad that his wife had finally arrived (she was the brains in the family, after all). "Are you sure that you can't go through?" Kagome asked. "Yeah, I'm sure. Believe me, Sango and I already tested that theory." Inuyasha said, glaring menacingly at Sango. "Well, I think you should double check." Kagome said, and she shoved her husband straight down the well. "NOOOTTT AAGGGGAAIINNNNN!!!! OHHMMMMPPPPHH!" Inuyasha yelled, hitting the bottom of the well for the second time that day. "I TOLD YOU THAT I CAN'T GO THROUGH!!!! Wait a minute, I can hear something down here!" Inuyasha yelled, his demeanor changing quickly upon sensing something new. He listened closely, and he could hear a voice! It was distant and faint, but it was there. "Damn it, Saroko! Why did you have to do that? I could have just jumped down!" The voice said. "That's Inuyara! He's in the well right now, but not in this era!" Inuyasha yelled up to his friends. "Try to talk to him, honey! Ask him how he got through, and how he's going to come back!" Kagome yelled down. "Yeah, and ask him how Saroko's doing!" Sango yelled down. As she was bent over, Sango felt something familiar on her backside. 'Pat, pat'. "Not now!" She yelled, and she gave her husband a resounding slap. "It was worth the pain!" Miroku said quietly, smirking as he rubbed the handprint that now occupied his face.  
  
(Back in the Feudal Era...)  
  
"Damn that woman. I don't think I could ever understand her." Inuyara mumbled. He looked around, and everything looked the same. He didn't feel as if he had been transported to a different era at all! Just then, Inuyara heard his father's voice. It was distant, but it was there! "Inuyara! How did you get through the well? Are you and Saroko okay?" Inuyasha asked. Inuyara figured that his father was probably outside the well, so he jumped out. "I'm fine, fath....er." Inuyara said, noticing that Saroko, Shippo, and Myouga were still standing outside the well! "I'm still in the Feudal Era? How is that possible?" Inuyara asked himself, confused. Saroko sweat-dropped at the confused look on her friends face, and she quickly became worried. "How are you still here? You jumped into the well, just like before! Shouldn't you be back home?" She asked Inuyara. "I would think so. Hold on a minute, I'll be right back!" Inuyara said, jumping through the well once more. He had heard his father's voice, and it must have been coming from inside the well. "Father? Are you there?" Inuyara yelled. "Yeah, I'm here." Came the faint reply. "Saroko and I are okay, but we're trapped here in the Feudal Era! We don't know how to get home!" Inuyara yelled. "Why the hell did you go down into the well in the first place?" Inuyasha yelled back. "We were just curious. You said the well was sealed! We didn't think we would get stuck in a different time period!" Inuyara yelled angrily. "He definitely takes after his father." Inuyasha thought to himself. "Well, your mother and I will try to find a way to get you out of this. Just don't get yourselves in any trouble!" Inuyasha yelled to his son. "Fine. I can't promise anything, though." Inuyara said with a smirk.  
  
Okay, Chapter 5 is done. Inuyara and Saroko are stuck in the Feudal Era! Inuyasha and friends are trying to figure out a solution, but they have come up empty so far. Will our heroes ever get home? Keep reading to find out! Tonyf 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
This chapter should be an interesting one. I know that in the summary, this story is classified as a 'romance, action-adventure'. It hasn't really lived up to the 'romance' billing so far, but this chapter will explore that aspect a little bit more. Enjoy! Tonyf   
  
"Okay, so you're saying that we can't get back through?" Saroko asked, stunned by Inuyara's news. "Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Our parents are working on a solution right now, but they have no clue how long it'll take." Inuyara replied. "Just great. Are you crying, Myouga?" Saroko asked, looking over at the flea on Inuyara's shoulder. "sniff. No, of course not!" The flea responded, wiping tears from his eyes. "Wuss." Inuyara muttered. "Well, what should we do now, Inuyara?" Saroko asked. "I guess we should just chill out for awhile. If we happen to run across Sesshomarai, though, we should definitely deal out an ass-kicking." Inuyara responded with a grin. "I guess I agree with the 'chilling out' part, but not the rematch with Sesshomarai." Saroko said. "Why the hell not?" Inuyara asked. "We didn't exactly fare well in the last fight we had with him, and I don't think it would be a good idea to challenge him again until we're more well-prepared." Saroko answered. "I can take him!" Inuyara yelled. "Yeah, I realized that when he almost sliced us in half." Saroko said sarcastically. "Whatever." Inuyara muttered, turning around to hide his embarassment.  
  
(It's a couple of hours later, and Shippo and Myouga are staying by the well (in case Inuyasha and friends find a way to get through). Inuyara and Saroko are wandering through the forest that is next to Kaede's village...)  
  
"I hope they find a way to get through soon. I don't know how much longer I can stand this place." Inuyara whined. "What's so bad about it?" Saroko asked. "There's no Ramen and no TV." Inuyara grumbled. "I should have guessed." Saroko thought to herself. "Well, at least we have each other, right?" Saroko asked. "Yeah, I'm glad that at least one of my friends can be here." Inuyara answered. "Inuyara? Can I ask you a question?" Saroko said, stopping in front of him. "Yeah, what?" He responded. "When you told Sesshomeru that you could never think of me as more than a friend, did you really mean that?" She asked. Inuyara's face quickly became flushed upon hearing this question. "Um, well, I mean, um, that is, I......" Inuyara stammered. "I get it. Forget I said anything." Saroko said as she walked off, obviously hurt. "I was lying." Inuyara finished, but by then Saroko was already out of sight. "Damn." He thought to himself, knowing that he had missed his chance again.  
  
(Meanwhile, in modern times...)  
  
"Okay, digging isn't going to work." Inuyasha said, holding up his blackened hands for his friends to see. "Well, how about if we all jump in at once?" Miroku asked. "No, that wouldn't work. I get the feeling that you just want to land on Sango and Kagome." Inuyasha said sarcastically. "No, that wasn't my intention at all! Just thinking out loud!" Miroku said with a smirk. "Even after all these years, he's still a lecherer at heart." Sango thought to herself. "It's getting dark, guys. How about we go home for the night and continue this tomorrow?" Kagome asked. "Yeah, I guess we could use a little rest. Hopefully, Inuyara and Saroko won't get into too much trouble." Inuyasha responded with a sigh. With that, the four friends began the trek back to their homes.  
  
(Back in the Feudal Era...)  
  
"Come on, it's getting late. You two should get some sleep." Inuyara said as he walked up to Shippo and Myouga. "Yeah, I am getting a little tired. You'll keep guard over us, right milord?" Myouga asked nervously. "Sure. Just go to bed." Inuyara said, taking a blanket out of Saroko's pack. He handed it to Shippo, who thanked him and layed down next to the well. Myouga flew over to the fox demon and landed on his chest, nuzzling himself into Shippo's fur. Inuyara waited until they were both asleep, and then he went to find Saroko. He hadn't seen her ever since their conversation in the forest, and he was getting a little worried. Inuyara followed her scent, and he finally found her at the edge of the river outside of Kaede's village. "Saroko? Are you okay?" Inuyara asked as he walked up behind her. She shivered, but didn't grace him with an answer. "Here." Inuyara said, and he draped his robe over her shoulders (He wears a robe similar to the one his father wears Tonyf). "Thanks." She whispered. "You never answered my question." Inuyara said gently, trying not to hurt her feelings anymore. "Inuyara, if you only want to be my friend, that's fine. I don't want to jeopardize our friendship if you don't have any feelings for me." Saroko said, trying to hold back tears. "I was lying." Inuyara blurted out. "Huh? What do you mean?" She asked, confused by his outburst. "I was lying when I told Sesshomeru that I thought you and I could never be more than friends." Inuyara clarified, although it was obviously hard for him to say. "What do you think we could be, then?" Saroko asked hopefully. With that, Inuyara overcame his fears and did something he had wanted to do for a long time... he kissed Saroko. To his delight, she kissed him back.  
  
Finally! I'm sure some of you thought that Inuyara would NEVER admit his feelings. How will Inuyara and Saroko's relationship develop now that Inuyara has overcome his obvious fear of commitment? Keep reading to find out! Chapter 7 will be out soon. Please read and review! Tonyf 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Alright, faithful readers. It's time for the 7th chapter, and it should be a good one. A new enemy will appear to interrupt our heroes, and Inuyasha and friends will once again try to figure out a way to get through the well. Are you ready for some action? Tonyf   
  
"Wow." Inuyara said. He and Saroko had finally broken their kiss (they need to breathe, after all), and they were both a little exhausted. "Wow, indeed." Saroko said with a smile. "Well, it's late. We should go back by the well and get some sleep." Inuyara told her. "Yeah, I guess so. We could use a little rest, couldn't we?" Saroko replied, still unable to wipe the smile off of her face. They walked back together, and when Saroko grabbed Inuyara's hand, he didn't resist her. They walked back hand-in-hand, and they couldn't have been any happier. "I wasn't sure if Saroko and I would fit together, but this just feels right." Inuyara thought to himself. After awhile, they reached the well. Inuyara and Saroko both grabbed a blanket (Saroko thought ahead - she brought a lot of supplies - smart girl... Tonyf) and layed down (Seperately - they aren't ready for THAT yet, so get your mind out of the gutter...Tonyf) next to their oblivious friends.  
  
( Morning...)  
  
Inuyara was the first to wake up, and he was not well rested. The poor boy couldn't stop thinking about Saroko, and it kept him from getting much sleep. "Damn, I need a cold shower." Inuyara thought to himself. There are no showers in the Feudal Era, though, so he went with the next best thing... he jumped in the lake. "That's better." He thought. Inuyara wasn't known for his common sense, though, because he left the Tetsuiga back by the well (You're in an era of demons and danger, and you go off alone without your sword? Tsk, tsk, Inuyara... Tonyf). He swam around, unaware of the danger closing in on him. Before he knew what was happening, a large shadow came towards him from behind, and it was closing in fast....  
  
( Meanwhile, in modern times...)  
  
"Okay, I just don't get it. Why could Inuyara and Saroko go through the well, but we can't? Don't you think that if anyone should be able to get through, we should?" Kagome asked her husband as they sat up in bed. She was beginning to become more than a little frustrated (understandably) with the situation. "I would think so. There has to be a reason for this, though. We'll figure it out, Kagome. Don't worry." Inuyasha said, trying to calm her down. "I'll call Sango and Miroku. I'll tell them to meet us at the well in an hour." Kagome said, jumping out of bed. "Whatever." Inuyasha said as he began to get dressed.  
  
"We need to think of something quick. How much longer do you think they can last in the Feudal Era? You know how dangerous it is, Inuyasha!" Sango said to Inuyasha as they sat by the well. "Yeah, I know that. We aren't exactly rocket scientists, Sango. I don't see you coming up with any brilliant ideas!" Inuyasha replied sarcastically. "Shut up, Inuyasha! We're all in this together. We need to brainstorm and try to work as a cohesive unit!" Kagome said, slapping Inuyasha on the back of his head. She looked around at the faces of her friends, and they were all staring at her cluessly. "What's wrong?" She asked. "What in the hell did you just say? I lost you at 'brainstorm' and 'cohesive'." Miroku asked. "Oops, I forgot. They're from the Feudal Era! They don't know what those words mean." Kagome thought to herself. Just then, an idea popped into her head. "Hold on a minute, guys. I just got an idea! I'll be right back!" Kagome yelled, running off towards her house. "Alright then." Inuyasha said quietly, still confused from her previous comments.  
  
( Back in the Feudal Era...)  
  
The shadow crept up from behind the unsuspecting Inuyara, and before he knew it, something had grabbed his leg. "Ack! What the hell..." Inuyara yelled as he was pulled underwater. He looked at the 'grabber' and realized that it was a demon. "Let me go, bastard!" Inuyara yelled, forgetting that he was underwater. The water rushed into his lungs, choking him. If he didn't get out fast, he was going to drown! Inuyara tried to break the demon's grip, but it was too strong. "Damn. I finally show Saroko how I feel, and now I'm going to die in the god-forsaken era before we can...." Inuyara's thoughts were interrupted when a large boomerang sliced through the demon's tentacle. He was able to swim to the surface, and he gasped desperately for air. "S..Saroko?" Inuyara said weakly. "Yeah, it's me. I thought you might get yourself in trouble, so I followed you." She said with a smile. The demon wasn't finished yet, though. It emerged from the water, and both Inuyara and Saroko gasped at the massive size of the beast. "What the hell are you?" Inuyara asked, mouth still agape. "I am after the jewel! I know you have it, because I can smell it. Hand it over to me, and I'll kill you both quickly." The demon growled. "J..Jewel?" Inuyara sputtered, completely shocked.  
  
Jewel? JEWEL? What jewel? Is this demon crazy, or does Inuyara have something we didn't know about.... Find out next chapter! (I love leaving you hanging, in case you haven't noticed) Please review!!!!! Tonyf 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
Okay, at the end of the last chapter, we heard about a jewel. Apparently, some demon believes that Inuyara possesses some sort of jewel. Is it just a case of a crazy demon (lord knows, some demons can be crazy) or does Inuyara have something we didn't (or even he didn't) know about? I dunno........ Tonyf   
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Inuyara stuttered, completely stunned. "Don't play games with me, half-breed! Give me the jewel NOW!" The demon yelled. "Inuyara doesn't have any sort of jewel, idiot. The only 'jewel' we know of is the Shikon Jewel, and Inuyara's father used that a long time ago." Saroko explained sourly. "Fools! That is the jewel that I'm speaking of! I can smell it on you, boy. Didn't I say not to play games with me?" The demon boomed, looking as if it was ready to bust some heads. "Well, it looks like this demon wants an ass-kicking. We're more than happy to give it to him, aren't we?" Inuyara said to Saroko with a grin. "Yeah, I guess." She sighed. "Is our relationship destined to be like this forever"? Saroko thought to herself as she charged at the demon with Inuyara.  
  
(Meanwhile, back in modern times...)  
  
"Where the hell is that woman? She's been gone for way too long!" Inuyasha growled, impatient as ever. "She's only been gone 10 minutes!" Sango said, shaking her head. "You really should get some patience, my friend." Miroku said with a grin, trying to hold back a laugh. "Shut up!" Inuyasha yelled. "I'm going to punch that lecherous monk right in the face..." He thought to himself. Finally, Kagome arrived. "Hey, guys!" She yelled happily. "What did you bring back? Did you come up with a good plan?" Inuyasha asked. "I think so. I brought my bow and some arrows!" Kagome responded. "How is that going to help, Kagome?" Sango asked. "Well, I'm hoping that if I fire an arrow into the well and Inuyasha uses his 'Iron Reaver Soul Stealer' at the same time, maybe we can tear a hole in time." Kagome explained. "That sounds like a great idea!" Miroku gushed. "It's worth a try." Inuyasha said simply. With that, Kagome set herself up over the well and put an arrow in place. "Ready?" She asked. "Yup." Inuyasha responded. They both fired, and the arrow and Inuyasha's blast both hit the floor of the well at the same time. A huge clowd of smoke shot up, but there was no sign of a rip in time. "Did it work?" Inuyasha asked, trying to shield his face from the smoke. "Why don't you find out?" Kagome said with a grin, shoving him down (again). Kagome, Sango, and Miroku all listened intently, and they were disappointed to hear a loud thud. "It didn't work." Kagome said quietly, putting her head down. "Next time, we send Miroku down!!!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha yelled up angrily.  
  
(Back in Feudal Times...)  
  
Inuyara and Saroko began to pound the demon, which was large, but not nearly as fast as his opponents. "Had enough yet?" Inuyara taunted as he landed a huge blow on the demon's jaw. "Not until you're dead!" It yelled, jumping up for more. "Bad idea." Saroko said, throwing her boomerang at it. The demon was sliced in half, effectively ending the battle (she thought). "How would you like me to finish you? Quickly or slowly? It doesn't really matter to me." Inuyara said with a grin as he stood over the demon's torso. "You talk too much, fool." The demon said with a grin. "Huh?" Inuyara said, confused. Before he or Saroko noticed it, one of the demons chopped off arms flew towards Inuyara. "What the...." Inuyara gasped as the claws sliced through his side. "Inuyara!!" Saroko screamed. Blood dripped from his injured side, but Inuyara was shocked by what else he saw. A brilliant light flashed through the air, momentarily blinding Saroko and the demon. "Inuyara! What's happening?" Saroko asked, scared. "I..I don't know!" He said, trying to keep his eyes open through the brilliant flashing light. "It's the jewel! It will finally be mine!" The demon laughed. The light finally dissipated, and Inuyara and Saroko were shocked by the beautiful orb floating in the air. "It must be.... the Shikon Jewel!" Inuyara said, stunned by it's presence. "How in the world did it get inside of you? Your father used it almost 20 years ago!" Saroko asked, in a bit of shock herself. "We have to get it!" Inuyara yelled, snapping out of his daze. From what he had heard about it, it would be a disaster if the jewel fell into the wrong hands!  
  
Saroko and Inuyara leaped towards the jewel, but the demon had gotten a head start on them. It's severed arm reached the jewel first, but Saroko wasn't about to let the demon gain possession of it. She threw her boomerang with everything she had, and it cut right through the arm, which exploded into countless pieces. Saroko grabbed the jewel, and Inuyara, knowing that it was safe, ran towards the rest of the demon. "It's over!" He yelled, slicing through it's head with his claws. The demon was finally finished, and Inuyara and Saroko were able to do nothing but stand there and stare at the jewel. "How could you have had the jewel?" Saroko asked, mesmerized by the beautiful glowing orb in her palm. "I have no idea. We need to try to get this back to our time, though. Who knows what kind of demons could come after us if we stay here?" Inuyara said, actually sounding sensible. "You're right. Let's go back to the well." Saroko said, grabbing his arm. Just as they began to walk off, though, a familiar demon jumped in front of them. "Sesshomarai!" Inuyara yelled, watching the demon's maniacal grin as it looked at them. "Nice jewel. I think i'll take it off of your hands." Sesshomarai said with a smirk as he reached for the jewel. "Hell no you're not!" Inuyara yelled, getting into a fighting stance. "Well, if that's the way you want it, I guess we could share it." Sesshomarai said with an evil smile. "Huh?" Saroko asked. Sesshomarai was more than happy to show them what he meant, unfortunately. He pulled out his sword, and in a movement faster than lightning, he swung the Tolkijn at the jewel. Inuyara and Saroko both gasped as the jewel split in half. "This way, we can both be happy." Sesshomarai said with an evil grin, as he grabbed half of the jewel and disappeared into thin air. Inuyara and Saroko gaped at the jewel, now smaller by half. "Uh, what do we do now?" Saroko asked nervously.  
  
Dumb Sesshomarai! Why did you half to show up? Why would you only take half of the jewel (when you obviously could have taken the whole thing)? What's next for our heroes? Read on to find out! Please review! Tonyf 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
I'm back! It's been....like two days, or so. Seems like forever, though! Anyways..... Inuyara and Saroko have the jewel (half of it, anyways), so will they try to use it to get through the well? If it was to work, then why couldn't Inuyara get through the well last time (although the jewel was in his body)? Hopefully, this chapter will provide some answers.... Tonyf   
  
"That idiot broke the jewel!" Inuyara yelled in disgust, staring at the halved jewel in his palm. "He didn't just break it, Inuyara! He has half of it! Won't that make him much stronger?" Saroko said nervously (but loudly, as well). "Yeah, that is a problem. Nothing I can't handle, though!" Inuyara said with a (over)confident grin. "What are you talking about? You couldn't beat him before! How could you beat him if his strength is doubled?" Saroko questioned, frustration evident in her voice. "I don't know what you're talking about." Inuyara said quietly, turning his back to her. "Right now, his pride is a lot stronger than his fists..." Saroko thought to herself. She thought about their new status as a couple, though, and she couldn't stay angry. Saroko walked up to him and layed her head on his shoulder. "I'll help you fight him, Inuyara." She sighed, rubbing his back. Inuyara, normally stiff with pride and a steely resolve (like his father), melted like butter at his new girlfriend's advances. He turned around and hugged her, a smile actually forming on his face as she nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck. "Let's go back to the well." He said with a smirk, holding her hand for the entire walk.  
  
"Saroko! Inuyara! Where where you guys?" Shippo asked eagerly, having missed his friends. "We were busy." Inuyara said simply, trying to brush the kitsune off. "It's a long story, Shippo," Saroko started, glaring evilly at Inuyara. "Inuyara was attacked by a demon, we fought it, it slashed Inuyara, the Shikon Jewel came out of Inuyara, we recovered it, we killed the demon, Sesshomarai came, he cut the jewel in half and took half of it, and we came back here. Get it?" Saroko finished without taking a breath. Shippo and Myouga both stared at her, obviously in shock. They were unable to say anything, which suited Inuyara just fine. He was eager to try and get through the well with his half of the jewel. "I'm going in!" He yelled suddenly, jumping in before anyone could respond. Saroko, Shippo, and Myouga all listened closely, waiting for the familiar 'thud'. They listened....and listened...and listened..... no thud! Saroko looked down, and she saw nothing at the bottom of the well! "He got through!" She screamed, overjoyed. They were finally going home!  
  
(Back in modern times....)  
  
"Any more bright ideas?" Inuyasha said sarcastically. "Shut up, honey." Kagome tried to say sweetly, but her anger showed through. "We have to figure something out, guys. They can't last forever in the Feudal Era! It's a lot more dangerous than it is here!" Miroku said, showing that he was worried as well. "Even my lecherous husband has the right idea." Sango thought, grinning to herself. THUD. "Owww! That hurt more than usual...." A voice suddenly yelled from inside the well. The four friends quickly looked down the well, and they saw..... Inuyara! "Finally! You're home, honey. Don't scare us like that anymore!" Kagome said as she hugged her son, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'll try not to." Inuyara said with a grin, obviously happy to be home. "I'll be right back, you guys; I'm going to get Saroko." Inuyara told them as he jumped back through the well. He popped up on the other side, and he quickly grabbed Saroko and Shippo around their waists and jumped back through once again (Myouga was latched to Shippo's fur...Inuyara didn't just DITCH him... Tonyf). A nice little reunion ensued, with everyone hugging and telling each other how glad they were to see one another. Even Inuyara and his father got in on the hugging (reluctantly). Everyone was just overjoyed that Inuyara and Saroko were back. After the excitement settled down, Inuyasha pulled his son aside. "So, how DID you guys manage to get back?" Inuyasha asked. "Long explanation. Here goes......" Inuyara responded with a sigh.  
  
"You're kidding!? How in the hell did the jewel end up inside of you?" Inuyasha asked, stunned. "I have no idea. After you used it all of those years ago, it supposedly disappeared." Inuyara replied. He held up his half of the jewel, showing it to his father as if to prove his story was true. Inuyasha snatched it out of his son's hand, staring at the familiar jewel. "This is it, alright. This whole thing is just unbelievable!" Inuyasha said out loud, to no one in particular. "Sesshomeru's son is very strong, dad. How much more powerful is he going to be with half of the jewel?" Inuyara asked, showing a rare regard for life. "Tell me more about Sesshomeru's son!" Inuyasha blurted out, ignoring his son's question. "Well, he is strong... and he doesn't listen to Sesshomeru at all." Inuyara replied. "Hah! That's great! The 'Great Sesshomeru' can't even get his own kid to listen to him!" Inuyasha laughed, a little TOO happy to hear the news. "You said Sesshomeru got married, too (snicker). Who did he get married to?" Inuyasha asked, trying (unsuccessfully) to muffle his laughter. "Oh, he said it was a woman named Rin." Inuyara answered cooly. "He married RIN? That little girl that hung around him? He better have waited until she was older. Otherwise, he's just SICK...." Inuyasha thought to himself. Inuyara was amused by all of the different expressions playing themselves out on his father's face, but before he could ask what in the world he was thinking about, Inuyara was called back to his house by Kagome. "I'm coming, Mom." Inuyara yelled, leaving his father standing outside, still laughing to himself about Sesshomeru.  
  
Before Inuyara could reach the front door, Saroko stepped out in front of him. "Oh, hey, Saroko." Inuyara said with a rare smile. "Hey, yourself. You know, we have to tell our parents about our new status." Saroko said, smiling back. "What do you mean, 'status'?" He said cluelessly. "Don't be an idiot, Inuyara! I mean our status as 'boyfriend- girlfriend'. They've been trying to get us together all of our lives! They'll be thrilled to know!" She said. "I don't know if we should tell them yet. I'm not in the mood to go through all of the fuss." Inuyara said with a sigh. Suddenly, Saroko walked right up to Inuyara, and she draped her arms around his neck. "What are you doing?" He asked, a small blush forming on his face. "Motivating you." Saroko said seductively. With that, she kissed him. It wasn't a short kiss, either, and they both enjoyed every second of it. "Ready to tell them now?" Saroko said with a grin. "Um, yeah, sure." Inuyara said, trying to snap himself out of his daze. They walked inside, ready to tell their parents some very important news.  
  
Inuyasha walked in a few seconds after Saroko and Inuyara, and he planted himself in the spot next to his wife. Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango were all gathered in the living room, now. "Hey, Inuyara. Saroko said that you and her have something important to tell us all?" Kagome asked, sort of worried about what she might hear. "You planned this out? What if I would have refused?" Inuyara whispered to Saroko with a frown. "I knew I had ways of preventing that." She replied with a grin that Inuyara swore was evil. "Yeah, we wanted you guys to know something." Inuyara said to them all, trying to sound normal. He couldn't hide the happiness in his voice, though. He hadn't been truly happy about anything in a long time, and Kagome could tell that he was happy about something. "We know that you guys have always tried to push us together, saying how we would 'make the perfect couple'. We always refused, saying that we didn't think about each other that way. Well, while we were in the Feudal Era, we realized something." Saroko said, trying to hold back a grin. "What are you trying to say?" Inuyasha asked, impatient as always. "She's trying to say that we're together now." Inuyara said quickly, not wanting to drag the explanation out anymore. "Really? That's wonderful! We've been hoping for this for so long!" Kagome and Sango said in unison, running up to the young couple and hugging them both. "This is why I wanted to avoid this." Inuyara grumbled quietly into Saroko's ear. "Don't worry, it'll be over soon." Saroko whispered back, trying to hold back a laugh. After they were finished, Miroku (and even Inuyasha) said how they were happy the two were finally together. Inuyara managed to slip out of the room, letting Saroko get all of the attention. "I need a nap." He said to himself wearily, and he made his way upstairs to his room. Inuyara plopped down on his bed, not even bothering to take his robe off. He was just beginning to doze off when a mysterious figure appeared in his room. "Hello, Inuyara. How wonderful it is to finally meet you." A voice uttered from across Inuyara's room. "What the hell.... Who are you?" Inuyara asked, jumping up and noticing the shadowy figure across his room. "You may call me....Kiaku." It said, and a chill went up Inuyara's spine.  
  
That's all for this chapter! Not a whole lot of explanation as to why Inuyara could get through the well now but he couldn't last time he tried, but there was a surprise twist at the end.... Kiaku is back! How? Why is he in Inuyara's room? What's going on here? Find out next chapter! Please review!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tonyf 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
Okay, this is a big chapter (the story is in double digits, now! Yay!). Kiaku has returned, and he's in Inuyara's room for some reason.... Maybe you'll find out why in this chapter. You must read to find out, faithful readers! I write it, you read it! I did my part, now you do yours.... Tonyf   
  
( For those of you who didn't read 'Inuyasha's True Feelings', I probably should explain who Kiaku is. Kiaku is the son of Kikyo and Naraku, and he has evil running through his veins. In his first meeting with Inuyasha, he almost killed him, but Kagome stepped in and saved the day. For a more in- depth explanation about Kiaku and how he came into being, read 'Inuyasha's True Feelings'!!!! )  
  
"Kiaku? I..I've heard about you." Inuyara stuttered, fear evident in his voice (not a common occurence, let me tell you). "Yes, I'm sure you have. I'm sure I was pretty hard for your father to forget. I did almost kill him, after all." Kiaku said, an evil grin present on his face. "What the hell do you want with me?" Inuyara sneered, color starting to return to his face. "Simple. I want you and your entire family dead." Kiaku said coldly, nothing but hatred in his voice. "Why? From what I heard, you had the chance to kill my parents. You returned to your mother, instead." Inuyara asked. "Fool. Your parents tricked me! My mother wasn't waiting for me. I went home to nothing but emptyness." Kiaku said, a tinge a sadness accompanying the evil that time. "So why do you want to kill all of us?" Inuyara asked, readying himself for a fight. "I want revenge. I won't be fooled again. I spent the last 20 years doing nothing but training, and I am much stronger than I was the last time I fought your father." Kiaku said, glaring coldly at Inuyara. "Let's go, then!" Inuyara yelled, lunging at the half-demon. Much to Inuyara's surprise, though, Kiaku simply phased out of the way. Inuyara crashed into his closet hard, busting the door through the wall. "I don't want to fight you yet, fool. I'm going to enjoy killing every one of you. I'll do it nice and slow, on my own time. This was just a warning." Kiaku said with a sneer, and with that he disappeared into thin air. "Inuyara? What's going on?" Saroko said, bursting through his door. "Uh, I was trying to kill a fly." Inuyara lied, still laying upside-down in a huge hole that used to be his closet. "You're a bad liar, honey." Saroko said sweetly, closing the door behind her as she walked in.  
  
"Do you think I should go check on him? That was a pretty loud boom!" Inuyasha said worriedly, looking up the stairs. "No, Saroko will take care of it. Just leave those two alone." Kagome said, putting her hand on her husband's shoulder. "Whatever. But if there's any fighting to be done, I'll handle it! It's been awhile since i've kicked some ass..." Inuyasha muttered, causing Kagome to chuckle. "If there's any fighting to be done, you need to let Inuyara and Saroko handle it. I don't want to see my widdle Inuyasha get hurt!" She said, rubbing his head. Inuyasha just sat there and grumbled to himself, a bright red blush evident on his face.  
  
"Now, what really happened?" Saroko asked as she helped Inuyara stand up. "I'll tell you later. It's not that important." Inuyara said, hoping she wouldn't pry any further. Saroko stared at him, and she finally decided to let it drop. "Okay, whatever. You better tell me the truth later, though." She said with a glare. "Fine." Inuyara grumbled. "You really shouldn't wreck your room like that, Inuyara." Saroko said with a grin. "It's not like I TRIED to do that!" He yelled, only beginning to calm down when he realized she was joking. They both actually began to laugh, and Saroko couldn't believe it. Inuyara, usually as serious as his father, didn't laugh often. "So, what should we do now?" Saroko said, plopping down next to Inuyara on his bed. "Well, we need to get back to the Feudal Era. We can't just let Sesshomarai keep half of the jewel!" Inuyara replied. "No, of course not! Do you think we should bring our parents, though?" Saroko asked. "No way! They'd just get in our way, and they'd end up getting hurt." Inuyara replied. "They used to be pretty strong, you know." Saroko said. "USED TO BE. That's the point. They're too old. We're both a lot stronger than all four of them combined." Inuyara replied. "Too old? None of our parents are even forty yet!" Saroko protested. "They're way past their prime, sweetie." Inuyara responded. Saroko's countenance changed quickly after that. "Did you just call me 'sweetie'?" She asked, beaming. "Oh, uh, yeah, I guess." He mumbled, embarassed that he had let that slip out. "I guess this 'relationship' thing is growing on you faster than you thought it would." Saroko said, grinning like mad. "Yeah, I guess." He muttered, blushing so hard that Saroko thought he was choking or something. "You're so cute." She said, reaching over and giving him a hug. "What were we fighting about, again?" Inuyara asked. "I don't even remember." Saroko whispered, just happy that he was holding her.  
  
"They've been up there for awhile, Kagome. Do you think we should go check on them?" Sango asked her friend. "Why would we do that?" Kagome asked. "They might be doing THINGS up there." Sango said quietly, so Miroku and Inuyasha wouldn't hear. "OH. You think?" Kagome said. "Yeah, they are teenagers, after all." Sango replied. "Let's go then!" Kagome said, pulling Sango upstairs. As they ran, Sango began to have second thoughts. "You know, they are both adults. Even if they wanted to do THINGS, what could we do about it?" Sango asked. "STOP THEM!" Kagome said emphatically, just as they reached Inuyara's door. Sango pressed her ear up to the closed door, but she couldn't hear anything. "They must not be doing anything. I know that when Miroku and I do things, me make a LOT of noise...." Sango said, but Kagome clamped her hand over her mouth before she could go any further. "Okay, no more details necessary. Maybe they're just quiet?" Kagome said, not able to handle the suspense any longer. She turned the doorknob, surprised that it was unlocked. Kagome and Sango opened the door as slowly as possible, eternally grateful that it didn't creak. When it was finally open, they stood in the doorway, staring at the bed. "Oh, how cute!" Sango whispered into Kagome's ear. "C'mon, let's go." Kagome said with a smile, closing the door and pushing her friend down the hall. Inuyara and Saroko were asleep on the bed (fully clothed), just holding each other tightly. "They do need a good rest, I suppose." Kagome said to her friend as they walked down the stairs to rejoin their husbands.  
  
Okay, that's it for chapter 10. Next chapter, Inuyara and Saroko will (try to) return to the Feudal Era. What will happen? I don't know. Don't ask me, I just write the stuff...... Anyways, please review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tonyf 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
In this chapter, Inuyara and Saroko will try to return to the Feudal Era (they have some unfinished business there, after all). Will they be able to get past their parents?? Read on to find out. Tonyf   
  
The sun was beating down on Inuyara's face, shining brightly through the window. His mind was awakening, and he knew that it was time to get up. His body, though, was telling him otherwise. Saroko was still asleep in his arms, and he didn't want to wake her up (or leave the warmth that she provided). "Damn it." He thought to himself, trying to shield his eyes. Even with his eyes being closed, the sun was still bright enough to bother Inuyara's sensitive eyes. He debated whether he should try to get up and close the blinds, or if he should just stay put. Although his eyes felt as if they were burning out of his head, it was a no-brainer for Inuyara. He turned towards Saroko, hugging her closer. Her sleepy sigh of contentment was enough for Inuyara to know he had made the right decision. "I guess I can wait a little longer." He thought to himself, feeling like today was the day - the first day of his life that he would arise in a good mood.  
  
(1 hour later)  
  
Shippo was becoming impatient. He wanted to help Inuyara and Saroko destroy Sesshomarai, but that was impossible if they wouldn't wake up! "How long are they going to sleep? My god, they can't be THAT tired!" Shippo said out loud, to no one in particular. Inuyasha looked over at his Kitsune friend, sweatdropping. "Who the hell are you talking to, Shippo?" Inuyasha said, trying to figure out if his friend was losing it. "Oh, no one. Umm...... I'm gonna go try to wake Inuyara and Saroko up." The embarassed Kitsune said, scampering upstairs. When he opened the door, though, Shippo was completely unprepared for what he saw. Inuyara and Saroko were sleeping...together! They were sleeping on the same bed, and Inuyara was hugging Saroko tightly to himself! "What is going on here? Are they..... together?" Shippo thought to himself, his brain having trouble processing the thought. All of their lives, those two had denied having any feelings for each other. Now, they suddenly are together? It just didn't make sense to Shippo, who didn't hear their 'announcement' the previous day. "Hey! Wake up! What are you two doing?" Shippo yelled out, jumping up and down on the bed. "What the....." Inuyara said, his eyes opening slowly. "Wake up! Tell me what you guys are doing!" Shippo said, eagerly awaiting Inuyara's explanation. "We WERE sleeping, idiot!" Inuyara yelled, quickly stretching out his legs. Shippo went flying, eventually smacking into the wall. This was the first thing Saroko saw when she opened her eyes, and she smacked Inuyara in the back of the head. "What the hell did you do that for, Inuyara?" Saroko said, jumping off the bed to check on the dazed kitsune. "Good morning to you, too." Inuyara grumbled. So much for his good mood.  
  
As she got herself ready to return to the Feudal Era, Saroko explained her new relationship with Inuyara to Shippo. The fox demon couldn't believe his ears, because he thought that no woman would ever have been able to tame Inuyara enough to date him. Meanwhile, Inuyara gathered his Tetsuiga and grumbled about how long women take to get ready. "We're going to the Feudal Era! Will the demons care how she looks? No! Why does she need to put make-up on?" Inuyara grumbled. "What are you grumbling about, Inuyara?" Saroko yelled through the door. "Uh, nothing!" He yelled back, amazed that she had heard him. After about 10 more minutes, Saroko finally came out of the bathroom. Inuyara had to admit that she looked beautiful, but he thought that she was beautiful WITHOUT all of the paint, too. "Ready to go, now?" He said with a grin. "Sure am." She smiled back, grabbing his arm as they walked downstairs with Shippo following close behind.  
  
"What? You guys aren't going back into the Feudal Era without us!" Inuyasha yelled, angry that they were going to leave their parents out of the fun. "We have to, dad!" Inuyara yelled back. "Why? We can help you fight Sesshomeru's brat!" Inuyasha said with a sneer, upset that his own son would want to leave him out of the action. "Mom, you and dad both have to stay here because it's too dangerous. Saroko's parents need to stay here, too. You both know that Saroko and I are much stronger than either of you now, and the fighting needs to be left to us." Inuyara said matter- of-factly. Inuyasha detected more than a little arrogance in the statement as well, but it would be the pot calling the kettle black if he called his son out on it. "I understand, honey. Inuyasha and I will stay here, and we'll go tell Sango and Miroku the news in a little while. You guys both better be careful, though. I want some grandchildren at some point!" Kagome said, glaring at Inuyasha (to shut him up in case he decided to protest). "We'll be careful, mom." Inuyara said, trying (unsuccessfully) to stop the blush that was blazing across his face.  
  
"Well, are you two ready to go?" Inuyara said, getting ready to jump down the well once again. "As ready as we're going to be." Saroko said with an uneasy sigh. "Ditto." Shippo said simply. "Sure you don't want to go, Myouga?" Inuyara said sarcastically, already knowing the answer. "No, you see, I have some, um, important things, and they, um, yeah." The flea muttered, realizing only after he said it how pathetic the rant had sounded. "I get it, Myouga." Inuyara said with a grin, loving how evil he could be sometimes. The flea quickly flew off, and Inuyara let Shippo jump through first with the jewel halve. "You next." Inuyara said, helping Saroko (and her giant backpack) get through the well. Inuyara jumped through last, knowing that there was a lot of evil waiting for them on the other side.  
  
The trio didn't spot any demons when they first came out of the well, so they decided to take advantage of their good fortune and find a safe campsite. They figured that it might take awhile to finish all of their business, so they (Saroko) thought ahead and brought enough supplies to last awhile. After about a half hour, they found a small, empty cave that looked like the perfect spot. After they set up their supplies, Saroko had a question for her new boyfriend. "Inuyara, remember yesterday when you promised to tell me what really happened when you 'killed the fly' in your room? Well, I want the truth. NOW." Saroko said forcefully, but with a smile. Inuyara almost had trouble taking her seriously with how happy she looked, but he figured now was as good a time as any to tell her the truth.  
  
That's all for #11. How will Saroko react when Inuyara tells her that Kiaku, one of his father's strongest enemies, is back and wants to kill them both? You have to read on to find out! Please review!!!!! Tonyf 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
  
In this chapter, Inuyara will tell Saroko about Kiaku's little visit. What will happen next? I don't know...... Here's chapter 12! Tonyf   
  
"What do you mean 'Kiaku is back'?!?" Saroko yelled, fear rushing up through her body. "Well, there's only one thing I could mean..." Inuyara said, not trying to be sarcastic (but coming off that way anyways). "Don't be that way to Saroko! And how could you not tell us about this sooner?" Shippo yelled, jumping into the air and punching Inuyara in the head. "Bad idea." Inuyara whispered, grabbing the kitsune by the tail. "Let him go!" Saroko said, glaring at her boyfriend. Inuyara realized that she was already angry enough, so he dropped the fox demon without a second thought. "I know you're angry, and I understand why. I probably should have told you about Kiaku sooner, but I was trying to protect you." Inuyara said, hoping that explanation would suffice. It didn't. "Protect me? How could keeping me in the dark possibly protect me? So if he was to have ambushed us, I would have been safer and better prepared if I didn't know anything?" Saroko yelled, trying hard to keep her cool. "Hmmmm. Well, now that you put it that way, my reasoning does sound a little stupid. You know I was never the sharpest tool in the shed, though! I really thought it would be better if you didn't know about him." Inuyara said, the self-depricating talk surprising Saroko. "I believe you, Inuyara. Next time, tell me about stuff like this, though!" Saroko said, her face softening. "I will." Inuyara said, moving closer to Saroko. They embraced each other, and Shippo couldn't believe his eyes. "You let him off that easily? He kept someth......" Shippo started, but he was cut off when the ground started shaking. "What the hell is going on?" Inuyara asked, holding Saroko up with one arm and holding on to the cave wall with the other. "I'm going on." A familiar voice said with a chuckle. "Crap." Inuyara said with a sigh.  
  
"How nice of you to return. You kept me waiting for awhile, though." Sesshomarai said sarcastically as he stepped into the cave. "What do you want now? Did you come to give us our half of the jewel back?" Saroko asked, although she already knew the answer. "Of course not. You could always try to take it from me, though." The demon said with a grin. "Just what I was thinking!" Inuyara yelled, lunging towards Sesshomarai. "Tsk, tsk. Too slow, my friend." Sesshomarai taunted, moving well before Inuyara could hit him. Inuyara found himself upside-down against the cave wall, a position that was aggravatingly becoming TOO familiar to him. "Damn you, demon!" Inuyara yelled, again jumping towards Sesshomarai. This time, Sesshomarai drew his sword, and Saroko was about to scream for Inuyara to back down. Before she could, though, Shippo jumped into action. "Fox fire!" The kitsune yelled, throwing it in Sesshomarai's face. "Dammit!" Sesshomarai yelled, momentarily blinded by the flash. Saroko took advantage of this, and she threw her boomerang towards the demon. Sesshomarai could tell that it was coming, but he was unable to move out of the way completely. The weapon caught him in the arm, slicing it right off. "Yeah! Got him!" Saroko yelled happily. Inuyara couldn't believe what he was seeing. "I couldn't beat him, but they did?" He thought to himself, starting to feel a little ashamed. Sesshomarai's laugh cut off Inuyara's train of thought, though. "Fools! Do you think I'm that easy to beat?" Sesshomarai asked. With that, his severed arm flew into the air, and it re-attached itself to his body. "Eww! How in the world did you do that?" Saroko asked, a sinking feeling in her stomach. "Simple. I'm much stronger than any of you realize." Sesshomarai laughed.  
  
"Now, I'm going to have some fun. Inuyara, are you listening? I'm going to kill that kitsune, because he annoys me. After that, your precious girlfriend will have an encounter with the Tolkijn. Let me tell you, Inuyara, not many people survive being chopped in half." Sesshomarai said, an evil grin accompanying his sarcastic ramblings. This sent Inuyara over the edge. "NO ONE is going to hurt Saroko as long as I'm around." Inuyara said forcefully, his voice sounding different. Suddenly, a strange light began to envelop him. "What the hell is happening to him?" Sesshomarai asked, a new feeling spreading through his body. "Is this...fear? No! I won't fear this idiot!" Sesshomarai thought to himself, ready to charge Inuyara. Before he had the chance, though, Inuyara appeared right in front of him. "You're finished, fool." Inuyara said with a grin. It seemed that Inuyara had unlocked some power from deep inside, and it couldn't have happened at a better time. Inuyara punched Sesshomarai right in the face, and before the demon could even feel the blow, he was punched in the stomach. Inuyara was pounding his opponent, and Sesshomarai was unable to even fight back. "How in the hell..." Sesshomarai thought, his process of thought being interrupted as Inuyara knocked the Tolkijn out of his hand and tripped him. "Give up now. Maybe if you beg, I won't be inclined to make you suffer." Inuyara said, standing over his fallen opponent, holding the Tetsuiga up to Sesshomarai's throat. "Where did all of this power come from?" An embarassed and defeated Sesshomarai asked. "It was there all along. I just wanted to make you think you could beat me." Inuyara lied, trying to sound confident as he said it. Before anything else could be said, though, a huge blast of wind blew through the room, knocking Inuyara on his butt. "You've failed me, Sesshomarai. I'm disappointed." Kiaku said, standing in the opening of the cave.  
  
"Is that... Kiaku?" Saroko asked, trembling. "Yeah, that's him." Inuyara answered, jumping in front of her. "I thought that the power boost I gave you would be enough for the 'mighty Sesshomarai'. I had heard such good things about you. How could you be such a disappointment?" Kiaku asked, glaring at the fallen Sesshomarai. "I didn't fail you! I was about to win... I just needed a little more time..." Sesshomarai said, unconvincingly. "Likely story. Those who fail me don't live to see tomorrow, Sesshomarai. You will be no exception." Kiaku said evilly. "No! Don't kill me. I just need a little more power.... if you give that to me, I won't lose to Inuyara again..." Sessomarai begged, his pride falling apart. "Don't beg for your life, Sesshomarai. You've already disgraced yourself enough." Kiaku said with a grin. Kiaku then lifted his arm up, ready to finish off Sesshomarai with one blow. Before he could strike the blow, though, someone showed up to stop the fun. "Enough. You will NOT kill my son as long as I'm around." Sesshomaru yelled, standing at the entrance of the cave.  
  
That's it for ch.12! That's getting to be one crowded cave, huh? It seems that Sesshomarai was getting a little 'power boost' from Kiaku, and now that he was beaten by Inuyara, Kiaku wants to kill him off. Sesshomeru won't just let his only son be killed, though. Next chapter should definitely get interesting. Please Review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tonyf 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
  
There will be a surprising twist in this chapter. With Kiaku about to kill Sesshomarai, Sesshomeru arrived on the scene. What's next? Read on to find out..... Tonyf   
  
"Sesshomeru? You dare to challenge me?" Kiaku asked, sneering at the new arrival. "Yes. Sesshomarai may not listen to me, and he tries to kill his mother and I, and he acts like a bastard the majority of the time, and I have difficulty keeping him away from trouble, and..." Sesshomeru rambled. "Enough! What exactly is your point? It sounds like you'd be happy if I killed him." Kiaku interrupted, frustration in his voice. "No. I don't care how much of an idiot he can be. Sesshomarai is still MY SON." Sesshomeru said, drawing out his sword. (His sword doesn't have a name; since Sesshomarai has the Tolkijn, Sesshomeru had to get a new and un- named sword. It's still powerful, though.) "This might be our chance to finish off Kiaku. If we work with Sesshomeru, maybe we can win!" Inuyara said to Saroko, readying himself for battle. "Hmmph. I'm not in the mood to kill all of you today. We will meet again soon, Inuyara." Kiaku said with a grin, and he set out a huge blast of wind (knocking everyone in the cave on their butts). When they arose, Kiaku had disappeared. "What a surprise. The wuss ran away! He must not be as strong as he thinks he is." Inuyara said triumphantly. "No, he is far stronger than any of us. Don't be fooled, Inuyara." Sesshomeru said, helping his son to his feet. "What do you mean? If he wants us dead, why didn't he just kill us when he had a chance?" Saroko asked, confusion written all over her face. "He's toying with us. He apparently wants to kill everyone in his own specific ways, just for kicks." Sesshomeru answered.  
  
"That bastard took away the extra strength he had given me. He even took away the jewel halve that I had!" Sesshomarai said angrily, brushing off his sleeve. "Why were you working for that scum, anyways?" Sesshomeru asked his son, anger written across his normally stoic face. "I wanted to be stronger. That demon gave me more strength. Pretty obvious why I was working for him, don't you think?" Sesshomarai said sarcastically. "All of your 'borrowed strength' wasn't enough to beat me, was it?" Inuyara asked, a grin plastered on his face. "Shut it, dog-turd." Sesshomarai responded, crossing his arms defiantly. "Enough. That monster has to be defeated. Alone, you won't be able to stop him, Inuyara. Even with Saroko's help, you still aren't strong enough to even have a chance." Sesshomeru said. "Well, what the hell should we do, then? Why don't you come with us and help to destroy him?" Inuyara asked Sesshomeru. "I can't. I need to stay with Rin. She would never forgive me if I allowed myself to be killed." Sesshomeru said, the 'family-man' in him coming out. (Never thought I would say that about Sesshomeru.) "What, then? We can't just let that monster run loose!" Inuyara yelled. "I agree. You do need some help; I have the perfect idea for who can help you." Sesshomeru said, a grin starting to form on his face. "Who?" Saroko asked. "Sesshomarai." He replied.  
  
"SESSHOMARAI?" Inuyara, Saroko, Shippo, and Sesshomarai all yelled in unison. "No way. I'm not fighting alongside that asshole! He slaughtered Kaede's village, and he tried to kill Saroko." Inuyara said, turning his back to everyone. "I would never fight alongside that piece of dog sh, either. He has become my mortal enemy!" Sesshomarai said defiantly. "You need to work with them, Sesshomarai. All of you have a mutual enemy, now, and he is much stronger than any of you are seperately. Without all of you working together, you will surely meet your fates at the hands of Kiaku." Sesshomeru said coldly, trying to convince the four that the only option was teamwork. "As much as I hate Sesshomarai, I think that.....Sesshomeru is right." Saroko said reluctantly. "What? How could you possibly believe that?" Inuyara yelled, still hating the idea. "Inuyara's right. We can't work with that murderer!" Shippo said, still bitter over Kaede's death. "If you all want to live, you have to realize that this is your only option." Sesshomeru said. "I hate all of you, but I hate death even more. I'll work with you, but only until Kiaku is dead!" Sesshomarai yelled, surprising everyone in the room. "What? No w......" Inuyara started, but Saroko put her hand over his mouth. "We have to work with him for now. Don't worry, it won't last forever." She said, trying to calm him down. Inuyara didn't like it, but he was starting to understand that it was necessary. "Fine." He whispered, ashamed that he was accepting to work with an evil murderer. "Good. Now, shake hands and agree that you won't try to kill each other." Sesshomeru said, trying to see how this pairing would work. Reluctantly, Sesshomarai and Inuyara did as he said, but they couldn't help putting a comment out there. "Idiot." Inuyara whispered as he walked away. "Dog turd." Sesshomarai said in return. "This should definitely be interesting." Sesshomeru thought to himself.  
  
Sesshomeru left a few minutes later, leaving the reluctant allies alone. "Do you think we should go look for Kiaku, Inuyara?" Saroko asked. "Hell no, foolish woman! We should train, and wait as long as we can to confront him." Sesshomarai interrupted, causing Inuyara to jump into his face. "Don't talk to her like that! She's not 'foolish' at all!" Inuyara yelled. "She definitely could have fooled me." Sesshomarai said. "I said not to talk about her like that!" Inuyara growled. "No, you said not to talk TO her like that. You didn't say anything about talking ABOUT her." Sesshomarai said with a grin. Sparks of hatred flew between the two, as they stared each other down. Just before they began to tear each other apart, Saroko seperated them. "Okay, both of you shut up! We can't fight each other like this (yet)! We need to learn to work as a team! Do you all want to die?" She yelled, anger burning on her face. The look she was giving them both actually struck fear into the half-demons. Both Inuyara and Sesshomarai backed off, and they turned their backs to each other. "How did that dog-turd get lucky enough to bag a woman like that?" Sessomarai thought to himself. "She's scarier than Kiaku sometimes." Inuyara thought, a look of fear on his face as he looked over his shoulder at his girlfriend.  
  
Ack!! Sesshomarai and Inuyara have....joined forces? Who'd of thunk it? This should make for some interesting situations..... Please review!!! Tonyf 


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
  
The new addition to the group, Sesshomarai, is anything but happy to be part of the team. Can he and Inuyara possibly co-exist? What does Kiaku have planned next? Read on to find out! Tonyf   
  
"We need to get some sleep, Inuyara. We've been walking all day, and it's getting late." Saroko said, dropping her heavy backpack to the ground. "Stop whining, woman. This is why it's foolish to travel with humans, Inuyara." Sesshomarai said, pointing at the exhausted Saroko. "Leave her alone! I'm kind of tired, too, Saroko. I think getting some sleep would be a good idea." Inuyara said, glaring at Sesshomarai. "Thank you, Inuyara. I'll start setting up camp." Saroko said, smiling at him. She was just amazed that Inuyara was able to hold himself back this time. Throughout the day, Inuyara and Sesshomarai had been at each others throats, and Saroko had to seperate them a countless amount of times. "He's really getting better." Saroko thought to herself, looking over at Inuyara with a smile plastered to her face. "Why in the hell is the woman staring at you, Inuyara? If you two want some time alone to pro-create, than I'll gladly go sleep somewhere else." Sesshomarai said with a grin. Inuyara and Saroko both turned beet red, amusing the evil demon greatly. "Shut the hell up! We don't do THAT! I have no desire to do THAT at all right now!" Inuyara said, looking as if steam would shoot out of his ears at any second. "Oh, really? You don't think you would enjoy doing THAT with me?" Saroko said, embarassed but still feeling stung by Inuyara's words. "Um, no, that's not what I was saying...." Inuyara mumbled. "What were you saying, then, Inuyara?" Sesshomarai said, trying to hold back a laugh. He was really getting a kick out of this! "SHUT UP, YOU STUPID PIECE OF #$% &%$#$ !" Inuyara yelled to Sesshomarai. "My, my, Inuyara, you really should watch your language. There's children around!" Sesshomarai said sarcastically, pointing at the small kitsune that was sitting close to Saroko. Inuyara's hand went down to the Tetsusaiga latched to his side, and Sesshomarai decided that he wasn't in the mood for a fight. "I'll go sleep further in the forest. I'll rejoin you in the morning. Good night, dog-turd!" Sesshomarai said, jumping off through the trees. When he had disappeared from sight, Inuyara sighed and sat down next to Saroko. "I didn't mean that, Saroko. I was just embarassed, that's all." He said, trying to shove any thoughts about Sesshomarai out of his mind. "I know. Let's just try to get some rest, okay?" Saroko said, smiling at him as she ran her hand across his arm. With that, they both laid down in their sleeping bags, ready for the peace and quiet that was sleep.  
  
"Wake the hell up! The sun's been up for hours!" Sesshomarai yelled, standing over the still-asleep forms of Inuyara, Saroko, and Shippo. "Uggghhh. What the hell do you want?" Inuyara said sleepily. "We need to go do some training. We'll never get stronger if we don't find a good spot to spar with each other!" Sesshomarai said, frustrated by his new allies laziness. "We don't need to get stronger. If we all work together, we shouldn't have a problem beating Kiaku." Inuyara said, sitting up and wiping the sleep out of his eyes. "Of course we need to get stronger! That monster has half of the Shikon Jewel! Who knows how he's going to use it?" Sesshomarai snarled. "Yeah, that's true. I guess we should train a little, Inuyara." Saroko said, sitting up. Shippo got up as well. Who could sleep through all of that commotion? "See, Inuyara? Even the human agrees with me." Sesshomarai said triumphantly. "I have a name, you know. Call me Saroko." She said, glaring at Sesshomarai. "Um, sure, Saroko." He said, a trace of fear in his voice. "Who would have thought that humans could be scary?" Sesshomarai thought to himself. "Fine, we'll go find a spot to 'train'. I guess I need to sharpen my skills a little, anyways." Inuyara grumbled, unhappy that Saroko was agreeing with Sesshomarai. With that, the four unlikely allies began their trek once again to find a suitable training ground.  
  
"You're still holding our half of the jewel, right Saroko?" Inuyara asked. "Yeah, it's here around my neck." She replied, showing him the necklace with the jewel attached. "Good." Inuyara replied, looking ahead to make sure Sesshomarai (who had run ahead) hadn't heard. They continued walking for what seemed like hours (but was actually more like 30 minutes), and finally Sesshomarai came running back towards his new allies. "I've found a good spot. Follow me." Sesshomarai said, leading them to his spot. When they arrived, Inuyara was surprised by how good of a spot Sesshomarai had found. It was flat over much of the area, perfect for regular combat. It was also well-secluded by trees, so it would be difficult for anyone to interfere with their training. "Well, let's get to training!" Inuyara said, a grin on his face. Now THIS was what he had been waiting for (a chance to 'spar' with Sesshomarai)! They took turns sparring, with Inuyara sparring against Sesshomarai (which was a little rougher than Saroko would have liked), Inuyara sparring against Saroko (she kicked his butt, but he was holding back because he didn't want to hurt her), and Saroko sparring against Sesshomarai (she also kicked his butt, probably because he was afraid of her and of what Inuyara might do if he was to have hurt her.) "Hah! Looks like you boys need to work on your fighting skills a bit more!" Saroko said, looking down at her battered and bruised allies. "Yeah, we sure do." They said in unison, both letting out sighs. Just as Inuyara and Sesshomarai were about to spar with each other again (that's where the REAL fun was, after all), a strange demon appeared in front of them. "What the are you?" Inuyara asked, looking at the demon, which had a strange power emanating from it. "That is no ordinary demon, Inuyara. There's something different about it." Sesshomarai said, getting into his battle stance. "You're right, half-breed. The name's Ryodia. My master Kiaku told me to come here and have some fun with you guys." The demon sneered. "Inuyara? This demon has a shard of the jewel in his head! I don't know how, but I can see it!" Saroko said nervously. "What? A SHARD of the jewel? That means..... Kiaku broke the half of the jewel!" Inuyara said angrily. "That means that we should expect a lot more trouble than just this demon." Sesshomarai said with a sigh.  
  
Kiaku broke half of the jewel into shards! How many shards? Where are they all? Is he forming some type of ultra-powerful demon army to battle Inuyara and co.? You'll have to keep reading to find out! Please REVIEW!!!!!!!!!! Tonyf 


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
  
One of Kiaku's henchmen, Ryodia, is itching for a fight with our heroes (and villain). With a jewel shard embedded in his body, will this demon be a challenge? Read on to find out.... Tonyf   
  
"Let's get this over with." Sesshomarai said wearily (he, along with Inuyara and Saroko, was still a little worn-out from the training they were going through). Ryodia took offense to Sesshomarai's confident manner, and he charged his opponent. Sesshomarai was caught off guard, not realizing how fast the demon would be. He was able to avoid the brunt of Ryodia's attack, but he was still left with a deep cut on his abdomen. "Crap, this demon is stronger than it looks. I guess I'll have to take this seriously." Inuyara said with a grin, pulling out his Tetsusaiga. Inuyara ran towards Ryodia, and he took a big swing at him. "Got ya!" Inuyara said, not believing that the demon had time to move. Much to his surprise, though, he was wrong. Ryodia jumped out of the way, and Inuyara barely missed slicing through Sesshomarai. "Watch what the hell you're doing!" Sesshomarai yelled. "I'm trying to kill this thing! I'm not just standing around, like you!" Inuyara shot back. "Both of you need to keep your attention on me!" Ryodia said, upset that he wasn't being taken seriously. Before Inuyara and Sesshomarai could move, Ryodia slashed them both with an attack similar to Inuyasha's 'Iron Reaver Soul Stealer'. The cuts were deep, but not enough to keep Inuyara and Sesshomarai down for long. "Okay, that's enough of this." Saroko said, whipping her boomerang towards Ryodia's head. This surprised the demon, who didn't even view Saroko as a threat. The boomerang connected with it's target, and the jewel shard went flying out of Ryodia's head. "Nooooo!!!!" He yelled, reaching for the falling shard. "Yes." Inuyara said with a smirk. He reached out and grabbed the jewel shard, quickly shoving it into his pocket. "You don't look so tough anymore, Ryodia." Inuyara said. "Shut up! I'm still strong enough to defeat you!" Ryodia yelled, swinging wildly at Inuyara. Inuyara just stood there, and he easily brushed off the attacks with one arm. "Fool." Inuyara said, splitting the demon in half with one mighty swipe of the Tetsusaiga. While this was happening, though, something was sneaking up behind Saroko. "You're dead, girl!!!" A demon screamed, jumping out of the trees directly towards Saroko. "No, Saroko! Look out!" Inuyara yelled, knowing that he was too far away to save her. "Huh?" Saroko said, turning around. It was too late, though. Saroko closed her eyes and put her arms in front of her face, readying herself for the blow.  
  
Inuyara stared at the scene, frozen to the ground. He was in disbelief at what just happened. Sesshomarai had jumped in front of Saroko, saving her life! Sesshomarai blocked the demon with his Tolkijn, and he sliced it in half. "You...you saved me?" Saroko said, shocked at Sesshomarai's actions. "No, I just wanted this." He said, holding up the jewel shard that had fallen from the demon. Inuyara didn't care about Sesshomarai's true motives, though. After what Sesshomarai just did, Inuyara decided that he would really try to make this 'team' thing work. "If he really wanted the jewel shard, he didn't have to save Saroko. He could have killed the demon after it sliced Saroko apart! There has to be some good in him....It's buried deep down, but it must be there..." Inuyara thought to himself, just grateful that his girlfriend was still alive. "This will come in handy." Sesshomarai said, shoving the jewel shard into himself. "What the hell are you doing?" Inuyara yelled, instantaneously forgetting about his previous thoughts. "I'm increasing my strength. Any little boost we can get helps, right?" Sesshomarai said with a grin. "That jewel rightfully belongs to us!" Inuyara replied angrily. "Then maybe I'll give it back when I'm done with it." Sesshomarai said. "Grrrrrr...." Inuyara grumbled, deciding to let it go for now (but only because Sesshomarai saved Saroko's life).  
  
(Meanwhile, back in modern times...)  
  
"I'm really worried about them, Inuyasha. Are you sure they'll be alright?" Kagome asked her husband. "Yeah, they'll be fine. Inuyara wouldn't let anything happen to Saroko or himself." Inuyasha replied, trying to be comforting (something not normally in his character). Miroku, Sango, Inuyasha, and Kagome were all gathered in Inuyasha and Kagome's living room, trying to keep their minds off of their kids (Kagome certainly wasn't helping, though). "We need to stop worrying! What is worrying going to do except give you ladies wrinkles? Inuyasha and I don't want to see you two all wrinkly..." Miroku said with a grin, trying to lighten the mood. All he received for his efforts was a smack in the head from Sango and Kagome. Inuyasha's head turned, as he sensed a familiar presence approaching. "What is it, Inuyasha?" Sango asked, noticing her friend's sudden reaction. There was a knock at the door, and Inuyasha jumped up to answer it. When he opened the door, though, he couldn't believe who was standing there. "S...Sesshomeru????" Inuyasha said, causing everyone else to jump up and run towards the door.  
  
Sesshomeru's at Inuyasha's door? What does he want? You'll have to read on to find out!!! Tonyf 


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16  
  
I'm finally back! It's been quite awhile since I've updated (sorry!!), but I'm here now. Last chapter, we left off with Sesshomeru at Inuyasha's door...Wait a sec, why in the hell is Sesshomeru at Inuyasha's door? You'll have to read to find out.... Tonyf   
  
"Hello, Inuyasha." Sesshomeru said calmly, same expressionless look as always on his face. Inuyasha and co. were too shocked to respond at first, but Inuyasha was the first to snap out of it. "You look different, Sesshomeru. Almost....softer? More warm-hearted?" Inuyasha said, unable to hide the grin on his face. "If you mean that I have begun to resemble how you've been for almost 20 years, than yes, I guess I have changed." Sesshomeru replied, causing Inuyasha to turn red and look away. "How in the world did you get here, Sesshomeru? I thought you were in the Feudal Era?" Kagome asked, curiousity overcoming the 'evil eye' that Inuyasha was giving her. "I came here with the assistance of this jewel shard." Sesshomeru answered, holding up the purple shard for all to see. "How did you get that? Did you steal it from Inuyara and Saroko?" Inuyasha asked. "No, I killed one of Kiaku's henchmen to get the shard." Sesshomeru replied. "What the hell are you talking about? Kiaku has been gone for years....Kagome and I defeated him a long time ago." Inuyasha yelled. "Kiaku is very much alive, and he only wants one thing...revenge." Sesshomeru said, causing Kagome to gasp. "He wants revenge? Does that mean....he'll try to kill Inuyara and Saroko?" Kagome asked, fear washing over her. "Kiaku has already attempted to take their lives. He has half of the jewel, and he has broken it into small shards. Kiaku is making an army of powerful demons, and he plans on sending them after Inuyara and Saroko." Sesshomeru replied. "We need to go help them!!" Inuyasha said, getting ready to fly out the door. "No, Inuyasha." Sesshomeru said, grabbing his sleeve. "What do you mean, "no"? Kiaku is trying to kill Inuyara and Saroko! They need help!" Inuyasha yelled. "My son has joined them. The three of them are working together, and hopefully that'll be enough to stop that monster." Sesshomeru said, glaring at his impatient brother.  
  
(Meanwhile, back in the Feudal Era....)  
  
"Come on, Inuyara!!! We've been training for HOURS!!! Why don't we just take a break?" Saroko whined, her entire body aching from all of the exertion. "Stop your incessant whining, wench. I saved your life earlier, and the least you could do is spare me from having to hear your whining." Sesshomarai said as he sparred with Inuyara. "I'm not whining!!! I'm sorry I'm not a half-demon like the two of you, and I don't have as much endurance." Saroko said, finding new energy as she stalked towards Sesshomarai. The half-demon's eyes widened as the girl approached him; Inuyara, meanwhile, couldn't hold back a grin as he stepped back towards a nearby tree. Saroko got right in Sesshomarai's face, and she held up her boomerang menacingly. Sesshomarai cowered at this, holding his arms over his head as he awaited her oncoming attack. (Sesshomarai isn't normally the 'cowering' type, but he (as well as Inuyara) is a bit scared of Saroko) Instead of feeling a sharp pain on his head, though, Sesshomarai felt something slip around his neck. "What the hell???" He said, looking at the strange necklace Saroko had slipped over his neck. Inuyara burst into laughter, holding his stomach as he fell to the ground. "What is so funny, idiot? Your girlfriend gave me a necklace; maybe that means she has a crush on me instead of you." Sesshomarai said, trying to figure out why in the world the girl had put this thing on him. "Nope, that's not it...." Inuyara managed to blurt out between chuckles. "Well, what then?" Sesshomarai said, becoming annoyed. He ran over towards Inuyara, determined to make him stop laughing. "SIT, BOY!!!!" Saroko yelled out. Sesshomarai was shocked as gravity suddenly turned against him and he slammed into the ground, face first. "What the was that, wench???" Sesshomarai yelled, managing to pull his head out of the grass. "It's your new collar. Now when you act up, you'll be punished accordingly." Saroko said with a grin that Inuyara SWORE was evil (and sexy). "Thanks for the necklace, Kagome. You said it might come in handy some day!" Saroko thought to herself as she watched the embarassed and pissed Sesshomarai slowly pull himself off the ground.  
  
(Back in Modern Times....)  
  
"Did you come here just to tell us about Kiaku?" Kagome asked Sesshomeru. "No, actually I came here for another reason. I came here because all of you are in grave danger." Sesshomeru replied. "HUH????" Everyone said in unison. "What do you mean that WE are in danger? What's going to happen to us?" Inuyasha asked. "Kiaku wants revenge against all who have wronged him. He is concentrating the majority of his energy on destroying Inuyara and Saroko, because he sees them as the biggest challenges to him. He wants you and everyone close to you dead too, though, Inuyasha." Sesshomeru said. "Kiaku is in the Feudal Era, right? How could he be a threat to us, then?" Miroku asked, finally deciding to speak up. "He is a threat to all of you because he is sending a large amount of demons with jewel shards through the well, with their only purposes wreaking havoc and destroying the four of you." Sesshomeru replied. "Well, that's great!! It's been a long time since I've had a good fight. Kicking some demon ass will feel great!!" Inuyasha said with a grin, cracking his knuckles. "Idiot brother. Honestly, don't you ever think? He's sending an army of demons to this era!!! It won't be an easy battle; in fact, I'm not sure if the four of you have any chance of winning, with your age and how long it's been since you've battled." Sesshomeru said, rolling his eyes at his over-confident brother. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sesshomeru." Inuyasha growled, giving Sesshomeru a death-glare. "Well, that's why I came here, is to help the four of you defeat those demons. Surely you could use my help if you want any chance of winning." Sesshomeru said, shrugging off the icy glare his brother was casting his way. Kagome could sense that Inuyasha was about to protest, so she quickly clamped her hand over his mouth. "Yes, we'd appreciate it very much if you could help us out. Thank you very much, Sesshomeru." Kagome said, still holding Inuyasha's mouth. "You're welcome, Kagome. How did you manage to get such a polite and kind woman, Inuyasha? She must have vision problems..." Sesshomeru said with a grin, causing Inuyasha to turn red with anger. "Is that steam coming out of his ears??" Miroku whispered to Sango, who stared at the scene with wide eyes.  
  
Oh, man.....Will Inuyasha and Sesshomeru be able to work together without Inuyasha blowing his top???.....And how about Sesshomarai's new "fashion accessory"? Oh, man....The necklace that Kagome once used to keep Inuyasha in check now has a new home - on the neck of Sesshomeru's son.....Well, it should be very interesting to see how the characters in both eras are able to co-exist.....I'll try to get another chapter up sooner, this time....I promise!!!! Please review!!!! Tonyf 


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17  
  
FINALLY!!!! I'm back with a new chapter!!!! I said in the last chapter that I would try to get a new one out quickly.....(sweatdrops)....I lied..........I've been too busy to continue my writing lately....I'm finally done with College after this weekend (until in the Fall, anyways), so I'll be updating more often now....Hmmmm...Where did I leave off? Oh, yeah......Sesshomeru is going to help Inuyasha and Co. fight off the demons that will soon be after them, and Saroko just gave Sesshomarai a nice new necklace........Here's Chapter 17!!!! Tonyf   
  
(Author's note - This chapter is all about what's going on in the Feudal Era; for all of you who are worried about Inuyasha and Co. in modern times, I'll get back to them again in the next chapter! )  
  
"Dog crap, tell your woman to take this infernal thing off of me IMMEDIATELY!!" Sesshomarai yelled, frustration coursing through his body. "Sorry, buddy. No can do. Personally, I think it looks good on you. It really brings out your eyes." Inuyara replied with a wink. Sesshomarai charged at the half-demon, only to find himself face-down in the dirt yet again. This was beginning to become a familiar feeling for him, as he had been "sat" so many times that day that he had lost count after 16. "When will you learn to be a good little doggy?" Saroko said with a sigh, petting Sesshomarai's head. "ARGHHHH!!!!" He yelled, embarassed beyond any level he had thought possible. Sesshomarai had never been a very good person (half demon, whatever ), but he didn't think he deserved THIS. "Is this what I get for killing so many humans? Should I believe that my mother was correct when she said 'What goes around comes around'?" Sesshomarai asked himself. Just then, he looked up at Saroko. The sunlight shone down on her, intensifying her beauty. "She really is beautiful. I've never seen such beauty." The half-demon told himself; immediately, he tried to rid himself of the new and unusual thoughts. A blush creeped up on Sesshomarai's face as he layed on the ground, looking up at Saroko. He was suddenly unable to look away from her deep brown eyes. "What the hell are you staring at, Sesshomarai?" Inuyara growled. "Nothing, idiot" Sesshomarai mumbled. "Nothing at all."  
  
The sun beat down on the three weary warriors as they continued their training. It was an extremely hot day, one that wasn't exactly ideal for such activity. Saroko seemingly didn't notice the stares she was receiving from Sesshomarai, but Inuyara noticed. He was training EXTRA hard, putting something "extra" in his punches as he sparred with Sesshomarai. One especially hard punch sent Sesshomarai flying, right through a tree. "What the hell was that, ass??" Sesshomarai shouted, rubbing the large bump forming on his head. "We're training, remember? If you're not putting your all into it, how can you consider it a good workout?" Inuyara questioned as he stared a hole through Sesshomarai. "He's obviously noticed my wandering eyes. I need to stop this!!! I don't like that foolish human girl. I couldn't!!! That idiot can HAVE the bitch; the great Sesshomarai doesn't need her." He reasoned to himself, trying to convince his heart of what his brain was thinking. His heart was obviously deaf, then, because his eyes still floated towards Saroko. She was sitting next to a pond, her legs floating in the water. "She looks so.....carefree. So......perfect." Sesshomarai thought, shaking his head. "She's so......Not for you." A voice boomed in Sesshomarai's head. "What the....." He thought, looking around frantically. Sesshomarai's eyes finally settled on the shadowed figure up in a nearby tree. "She could never love you. Her heart is completely devoted to that fool over there." Kiaku sneered, pointing a finger towards Inuyara. Inuyara had walked over to Saroko, and he sat next to his girlfriend. A look of fear crossed Sesshomarai's face, as he knew Kiaku could kill the three of them right then without much effort. "Don't worry, Sesshy. I don't want to kill the three of you yet. It's much more fun to watch you squirm. I'll deem when the time is right for your deaths." Kiaku declared. He then disappeared into thin air, leaving Sesshomarai open mouthed and scared shless.  
  
"What are we going to do about Sesshomarai? I don't know how much longer I can handle the idiot's presence." Inuyara grumbled. "Honey, don't worry about him. He's on a short leash, now." Saroko said with a wink. "I like that - 'Honey'." Inuyara said, admiring the grin on Saroko's face. "Well, I could think of a lot of other things I'd like to call you, too." Saroko said, once again winking at her boyfriend. A sound that almost resembled a purr resonated from Inuyara. "Seriously, Saroko. It's starting to become obvious that the idiot is developing feelings for you. He's been staring at you all day. If this keeps up, who knows what he'll try?" Inuyara explained. "WHAT??? He has feelings for me??? EWWWW!!!" Saroko cried out. "Yes, he certainly does. That's why I sent him through that tree a little bit ago. I'm trying to knock some sense into the fool. You're MY girl." Inuyara said protectively, pulling Saroko to himself. Saroko was shocked by this statement, as she knew he felt that way, but NEVER expected him to verbalize it like that. "I know, baby." She said with a sigh, looking up into Inuyara's eyes. Suddenly, a thought popped into Saroko's head. "Hey!!! Maybe he's just longing for someone to love! It doesn't have to be me; maybe we could find someone else for him!" Saroko squealed, thrilled by her new idea. "That's nice in theory, but he looks kinda gay, don't you think? What woman would want THAT???" Inuyara stated. "INUYARA!!!! Come on!!! That's terrible!!!" Saroko said, trying to hold back a giggle. "He looks a little like Sesshomaru, yes, but a lot of girls go for that! You'd be surprised, Inuyara." Sango insisted. "Whatever. If you can find someone for the bastard, I would be all for it. It would keep his dirty eyes off of MY woman." Inuyara affirmed. "I really like this 'my woman' stuff." Saroko thought to herself as she pulled her legs out of the pond.  
  
"We need to talk, Inuyara. Kiaku was here, just a minute ago." Sesshomarai said to his un-easy ally. "Kiaku was here? Why didn't he attack?" Inuyara questioned, stunned by the news. "The bastard is toying with us. He's looking for our weak points, obviously so he can expose them later." Sesshomarai responded, a small edge to his voice. Kiaku knew about Sesshomarai's developing feelings towards Saroko, and surely the demon would exploit this as soon as possible. "Where did your woman go?" Sesshomarai asked, changing the subject. "Why the hell do you care? It's none of your damn business!" Inuyara snarled, trying to hold himself back. Saroko had gone back to their campsite, needing some rest. It was a hot, sticky day, and rest was the only thing that was a favorable activity. Soon, she would begin her search for a woman; a woman for Sesshomarai!  
  
Saroko is going to look for a woman? For Sesshomarai? What kind of woman would want the abrasive, rude, and uncaring half-demon known as Sesshomarai? Well, I'm still not sure who I'm going to pair him up with; I don't have any major character's that are un-involved, so I'll have to think about it. I'll probably end up pairing him with an original character. If you have any ideas on who I should pair him with (I'm NOT pairing him with Saroko, so don't even suggest it ), than tell me! PM me or E-mail me. If you have an original character that you'd like Sesshomarai to get with, than just tell me their name and give me their info. I'd be happy to incorporate someone's original character into the story! If I don't get an interesting original character suggestion, I'll probably just end up using my own, and who KNOWS what kind of original character I'll make up..... Anyways, Chapter 18 will be up as soon as I can write it.....Please review!!! Tonyf 


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18  
  
Here I am, out of college until the fall, a little free time on my hands. So what have I decided to do? Write a new chapter for my fanfic, of course! This chapter will feature Inuyasha and Co. in modern times. Since I left them out of the last chapter completely, I've decided to dedicate this entire chapter to them. Enjoy! Tonyf   
  
(Modern Times)  
  
"Inuyasha, what exactly are you doing?" Miroku asked, a sweatdrop adorning his head. Miroku had just walked up to his friend, and the sight he saw wasn't pretty - Inuyasha was standing in the bathroom (almost naked), facing the mirror, spreading shaving cream across his body. "I'm too hairy. All of this extra hair isn't good for battle; and I'm sure my idiot brother will never let me hear the end of it if I get slowed down by extra hair." Inuyasha explained. At this, the sweatdrop on Miroku's head only continued to grow larger. "Uh, Inuyasha? You DO realize that a little extra hair on your body won't slow you down at ALL, right? How in the hell could "hair" slow you down???" Miroku asked, completely perplexed. "What the hell are you talking about? Of course the extra hair will slow me down! It's unnecessary!" Inuyasha growled. "My god. He's lived in this world for almost 20 years now, and Kagome still hasn't beaten the foolishness out of him. I sincerely hope he still remembers how to fight." Miroku thought to himself, walking out of the bathroom with his head shaking. "OWWWW!!!!" Inuyasha yelled, throwing the razor in the sink as blood dripped from his chest. Kagome came running, hearing her husband's yell.  
  
"What happened, Inuyasha? Is everything okay?" Kagome asked frantically as she entered the room. "It's this damn "razor" you gave me! You said it would be safe! Well, look at THIS!" He yelled, pointing at the small cut on his chest. Kagome surveyed the scene, trying her hardest not to bust out laughing. Here was Inuyasha, in nothing but his boxers, covered from head to toe in shaving cream, a tiny cut slowly dripping blood from his chest. Also, the look on his face was absolutely PRICELESS. "What in the world are you DOING, honey?" Kagome asked, trying to muffle her laughter. "I'm TRYING to become more a-row-di-naam-ic." Inuyasha replied simply, trying his damndest to pronounce the word. "You're trying to become more aerodynamic?" Kagome asked, putting emphasis on the word for his benifit. "Yes, I am. I want to be completely ready for this fight; I don't want to give Sesshomaru a reason to think I've been slacking off in the past 20 years." Inuyasha said, trying to hide the apprehension in his voice. "Oh, honey." Kagome said, walking up to her husband. She knew all of her husband's little "quirks", and she loved him because of them. Kagome knew of her husband's tremendous pride, and of his naiveity, even after almost 20 years of living in modern times. She lovingly cleaned his "wound" (which he inevitably would call a "battle-scar" if anyone was to ask ), and she helped him to shave the rest of his shaving-cream- covered body (although she KNEW it was pointless). There were no more words exchanged between the two during this process, but they weren't necessary. This time was all about the love shared by two people; unconditional, never-ending true love. This was something even the pride- stricken Inuyasha could appreciate.  
  
Sango, Miroku, and Sesshomaru all sat at the dining room table (in Sango and Miroku's house; Inuyasha wasn't able to let Sesshomaru stay in HIS house, due to the fact that they had trouble being around one another without fighting ), silence enveloping them. Sesshomaru wasn't the most chatty person in the universe, and Miroku didn't exactly want to start a conversation with the demon lord of the Western Lands. This didn't stop Sango from breaking the silence, though. "How long do you think it'll be until these demons come through the well?" Sango asked, looking over towards Sesshomaru. "I can't say for sure. It will most likely be soon, though. I don't think Kiaku wants to wait very long for our demise." Sesshomaru responded cooly. "Do you think we'll be ready for them? Will we be strong enough to take them down?" Miroku asked, the tension dissipating after his wife's ice-breaker. "We should be able to stop them if we work together. There's no telling if my brother has kept up with his training or not, though. If he hasn't trained hard recently, or if he's let himself go completely soft, we might be in trouble. You'll need Inuyasha and I to both be at full strength in order for victory to be achieved." Sesshomaru replied, bitterness lining his voice. "Inuyasha probably hasn't trained for years. The fool really must have went soft in his time here. This era is too mundane, too 'safe'. My brother hasn't had any true challenges here, so I don't expect him to present much help to me. No matter. I, Sesshomaru, shall take care of these demons myself if necessary. I owe it to my foolish brother." Sesshomaru thought to himself.  
  
(1 day later)  
  
"Well, we've been standing out here for almost an hour now, guys. I thought you said these demons were 'coming'." Miroku said, quickly becoming impatient. "They are coming. I smell them." Inuyasha said with a growl. "I'm impressed, Inuyasha. You're still able to use your senses relatively well." Sesshomaru said, trying to give a compliment (though it came off as sarcasm). "Feh. Of course I can still use my senses well. Just wait, Sesshomaru. You'll see that I can still fight, too." Inuyasha said, cracking his knuckles. Inuyasha was back in his famous red haori, wearing it for the first time in years. He had gone to wearing more traditional clothing, and he had all but forgotten his robe of the fire- rat. Inuyasha figured that if he was going to battle, he might as well wear the robe that had protected him and helped him through so many battles in the past. Sango was in her demon-slayer outfit, which still fit after all of these years. Kagome was wearing a miko outfit similar to the one Kikyo wore, simply because it was free-flowing and easy to move around in. She was armed with her bow and many arrows; over time, she had become a tremendously accurate archer, and her arrows could burst through almost anything. Even Sesshomaru was impressed when he saw her fire an arrow at (and through) a tree the previous day. Sesshomaru was in his traditional garb, strange-looking fluffy thing and all. Still, no one had ANY idea what in the world the fluffy thing was (and no one was about to ask him, either ). Miroku was the only one who DIDN'T wear some sort of traditional clothing (although he did carry his staff). He was in tennis shoes, shorts, and a tank top. When Sango asked her husband why he was wearing these clothes, the monk said simply "They're comfy, and I can't battle if I'm not comfy." Miroku, Sango, and Kagome all stood together silently, staring at the well while awaiting their foes. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru stood next to one another, exchanging cold stares. After 20 years, it's obvious that some things had changed, but some things will always remain the same.  
  
Okay, that's all for this chapter. Kinda a cliff-hanger, since I didn't get to the start of the battle. They're all standing by the well, waiting for the demons to come through (and they WILL come through, in the next chapter ). In the next chapter, I'm going to introduce Sesshomarai's love interest. One way or another, it WILL be an original character. I'm not terrible at making up original characters, but I'm not 'great' either. So next chapter should be interesting! Anyways, (serious face) 'tune in next time to see Sesshomarai's new love interest and the beginning of the battle in modern times!!!' ; Tonyf 


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19  
  
Okay, we know that Inuyasha and Co. are ready for a big battle in modern times, while Sesshomarai is a poor, love-sick puppy in the Feudal Era. Will Saroko be able to find a love interest for him? You'll need to read on to find out..... Tonyf   
  
(Feudal Era)  
  
"I'm going out for the day." Sesshomarai said simply, refusing to look his new allies directly in the eyes. He had a night to think about his actions the previous day, and Sesshomarai concluded that he acted foolishly and had embarrassed himself. As soon as the sun had risen, Sesshomarai left Inuyara and Saroko with nothing but those simple words. "I guess this means no training today. And what the hell are we supposed to do if Kiaku decides to attack today???" Inuyara grumbled. "We'll be fine, Inuyara. He's gotta be embarassed, after yesterday. We just need to give him a little time." Saroko replied. "What, are you taking his side now? You KNOW we should be training. How could you agree with him?" Inuyara said, looking a little hurt. "I don't 'agree' with him, I just understand that he needs a little time to himself. We don't have to like the guy, but we at least have to respect his needs a little while he's our ally." Saroko responded, a little perturbed at Inuyara's obvious jealousy. Inuyara sensed this, and he decided that it was the perfect time to make his move.  
  
"That's fine, Saroko. We can respect his privacy for today. It means we'll have some time alone." Inuyara whispered seductively, slowly sauntering over towards his girlfriend. This boldness was something that Saroko was still getting used to, and she stumbled backwards in surprise. Before she could fall on her butt, Inuyara reached out a strong arm and grabbed her. "You really should be more careful. I don't want you getting hurt or anything." Inuyara whispered, his face right next to Saroko's. She blushed, but Saroko was enjoying this show of confidence from her boyfriend. He really had changed in the past week or so. "Really? Why don't you want me getting hurt?" Saroko asked playfully. "I might want to use that body of yours someday. No sense in getting it all bruised up." Inuyara said with a smirk. The comment was a little insensitive, and it would have gotten Miroku a smack to the face if he had used it with Sango. Saroko enjoyed the little remark, though, and she just continued to smile at her boyfriend. "Really? Sounds like fun. When were you planning on doing this?" Saroko whispered seductively in his ear. Now, it was Inuyara's turn to be embarassed. He wasn't expecting such a positive response from her, and he wasn't ready with a comeback. "Ummm....I mean, whenever." He said, completely killing the mood. "Whenever????" Saroko repeated, pushing him away from her. "What? What's wrong?" Inuyara asked, frantically trying to figure out his mistake. He was new at this, after all. "It doesn't sound like you want our first time to be very special at all. 'Whenever' isn't the answer I was looking for." Saroko said, crossing her arms and glaring at her boyfriend. "OUR FIRST TIME???? THAT'S what you were talking about???? I was talking about as a training partner...." Inuyara said, the surprise in his voice quickly trailing off into a quiet mumble. "Idiot." Saroko thought, giving a sharp mental sigh.  
  
(A couple hours later)  
  
"Come on, Inuyara. We're going out for awhile." Saroko announced, grabbing Inuyara's arm. "Where are we going? I thought we were going to just relax today." Inuyara whined. "Don't you listen to our conversations at all? Just yesterday, I told you I was going out to try and find a girl for Sesshomarai!!!" Saroko yelled, frustrated by her boyfriend's ignorance. "Oh yeah. I remember, now. I still don't see how you're going to find someone for that idiot, though." Inuyara grumbled as he was pulled through the forest.  
  
"Um, Saroko?" Inuyara said. "Yes, Inuyara?" Saroko replied. "How in the hell are we going to find someone for Sesshomarai by walking through the forest???? You can't just go out and find a single girl (who can handle Sesshomarai) standing around somewhere! What do you think, we're just going to walk by some trees and some amazing girl will just be standing there waiting for us???" Inuyara asked, getting all of his thoughts out at once. Saroko mulled this over for a minute, and then she realized that her insensitive boyfriend was actually right. "You know, I think you might be right. I don't know what I was thinking, Inuyara. You really can't just go walking through a forest and magically find someone for Sesshomarai." Saroko said, a blush creeping across her cheeks. Saroko was normally a very smart girl, but she wanted to find someone for Sesshomarai so badly that it clouded her common sense. "It's fine, honey. If you really want to find someone for him, I'll help you. It's just going to take some time." Inuyara said, pulling Saroko to himself. She was completely content in his tight, warm embrace, and Saroko wondered to himself how Inuyara could be so insensitive one moment and so wonderful the next.  
  
(Modern Times)  
  
"The scent is getting stronger real fast. They are coming up through the well right now!" Inuyasha exclaimed, getting in his battle stance. "Very perceptive, brother. Everyone get ready. The battle is about to begin!" Sesshomaru announced, getting ready for battle himself. Everyone else just kind of stiffened, staring at the well and waiting for the demons to emerge. Finally, they began to come out. There weren't many of them, but each of the demons was VERY large and had a jewel shard embedded in it's body. "Let's go!" Inuyasha yelled, charging his new opponents. "Fool still hasn't lost his arrogance." Sesshomaru thought to himself, charging right behind his brother. Inuyasha was un-armed, due to the fact that he had given his Tetsuisaiga to Inuyara. He didn't feel he needed a weapon, though, as he believed his claws would be more than enough. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru both began tearing demons apart, both of them looking much stronger than they were in the past. "I'm impressed. He hasn't gone soft, after all." Sesshomaru thought, glancing towards his brother. "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!!!" Inuyasha yelled, tearing a demon to shreds with his claws. He picked up the jewel shard the demon had deposited, a huge grin on his face. "Behind you, Inuyasha! Look out!" Kagome yelled, firing an arrow through the air. The arrow buzzed past Inuyasha's head, and it nailed one of the demons to a nearby tree. "Thanks, Kagome." Inuyasha whispered, embarassed that he had let his guard down so easily. Sesshomaru was having no trouble tearing the demons apart, and he methodically ripped through one after another. Miroku and Sango worked as a team, double-teaming any demons that approached them. Surprisingly, their fighting skills had not diminished much, even after 20 years. Kagome continued to fire her enchanted arrows at different demons, picking them off one by one. Eventually, every demon that Kiaku sent had fallen. Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Kagome, Sango, and Miroku stood triumphantly, admiring the carnage strewn at their feet. Jewel shards and the torn up bodies of demons were laying everywhere. "Looks like Kiaku's army wasn't very tough, after all." Inuyasha said with a smirk. "Yes, brother. I must say that I'm impressed with your skills, after all of this time." Sesshomaru said, a rare complement that WASN'T laced with sarcasm. Inuyasha was touched by the statement, and he was a little unsure how to respond. "We kicked some SERIOUS ass! Hell yeah!" Miroku exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. Sango tried (unsuccessfully) to hide her grin at her husband's sudden outburst. "Hey, did you notice how aa-row-di-naa- mic I was??" Inuyasha asked his brother, a confident smirk on his face. "What the hell......." Sesshomaru thought to himself. "Inuyasha wanted to make sure he was aerodynamic, so he got himself ready for the battle." Kagome said quickly, giving a pleading look to Sesshomaru. "Oh, okay. Yes, you were very aerodynamic, brother." Sesshomaru said, noticing the grateful look Kagome gave him as well as the huge smile across his brother's face.  
  
That's all for this chapter. Be prepared for a big surprise in Modern Times next chapter, though..........So, I know that I said last chapter that I would introduce a love interest for Sesshomarai this chapter....The more I thought about it, the more I realized how stupid it would be for me to have Inuyara and Saroko just 'find' someone for Sesshomarai, standing around somewhere.....(blush).....It's NOT that easy to find a girlfriend, in real life OR in this story.....So Sesshomarai WILL get a girlfriend, just it will probably take awhile.....I'll think of a way to introduce her eventually.....Anyways, get ready for a BIG happening in Modern Times next chapter.....Inuyasha and Co. easily tore through the demon army that Kiaku threw at them, but is that all Kiaku has up his sleeve? Find out in Chapter 20!!!! Tonyf 


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20  
  
Dun dun dun.......It's my 20th chapter! Yay! This story is not even CLOSE to being over, though.....Expect this story to be much longer than my first.....I'm not going to try and predict exactly how long, but I've still got a lot of stuff to tell in this story....I don't want to leave loose ends (unless I write another sequel ), so it should take awhile to tie up loose ends, at the very least. Anyways, is Kiaku finished with Inuyasha and Co. in Modern Times? Let's just say this - Kiaku doesn't take losing very well...... Tonyf   
  
(Modern Times)  
  
"What now, Sesshomaru? Is that really the best Kiaku could throw at us?" Kagome asked as she picked up jewel shards. "I don't smell any more demons, but I still don't think we should let our guard down. Kiaku is far too dangerous an opponent for us to take him lightly." Sesshomaru said, cautiously glancing towards the well. "Ah, Sesshomaru doesn't know what the hell he's talking about! WE WON! Kiaku wouldn't dare send anything else after us, because he knows we'd just pulverize them." Inuyasha exclaimed confidently. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance, by the way . "I'll have to agree with Inuyasha on this one. It's obvious that Kiaku just underestimated us. He had to have believed that we'd be weak after all these years." Miroku said, twirling his staff from finger to finger. "Shows how much that bastard really knows." Inuyasha mumbled as he picked up another jewel shard. There had to have been at least 15 jewel shards on the ground, scattered over hundreds of feet of land. One of the shards flew up to Inuyasha, carried by a certain flea. "Myouga! I thought you had run off again! I KNEW that you didn't run and hide during the battle, and just came back after our victory was assured." Inuyasha exclaimed sarcastically. "Um, no Milord, I would never do such a thing. I was just......uhhh....searching for Kilala while you were battling." Myouga stammered. "Really? Because I thought we had made it pretty clear to you that Kilala was staying back home to protect Kohaku. I guess it was an honest mistake, though." Inuyasha said, sarcasm lining every word. "Of course. I had FULL confidence in you, Milord. I never believed that your slacking off for so many years would leave you too rusty to fight." Myouga said happily, believing that Inuyasha truly was being nice to him. The flea earned nothing but a squashing for this little remark, though.  
  
The five warriors (and 1 slightly squashed flea) all were basking in the glow of victory, trying to put the jewel shards back together. This was short-lived, though, as the sky suddenly became very dark. There was an evil aura pulsating through the air, and it was quickly obvious to everyone that a LOT of danger was on it's way. "What's going on?" Sango asked, picking up her weapon. "I don't smell any demons nearby. I'm.....not sure." Inuyasha said, a look similar to fear plastered upon his face. Even the normally calm Sesshomaru was feeling a little flustered by the sudden evil energy. There was no noticeable demon scent, but there was definitely something powerful approaching. "There's only one thing that I know of with this type of evil energy." Sesshomaru thought, mentally frowning (can you 'mentally frown'???). A piercing laughter burst through the trees, causing everyone to look skyward. "Idiots. Did you really believe I'd trust some low-level demons to take you out? Of course I wouldn't. When you want a job done right, you need to do it yourself." Kiaku growled.  
  
"My god. It really is him. Kiaku is here!" Kagome affirmed quietly. "You're not getting out of this era alive, Kiaku! This ends HERE!" Inuyasha yelled, leaping towards his opponent. "Fool! Don't!!" Sesshomaru yelled, but the warning was too late. Kiaku quickly phased out, letting Inuyasha rip through the tree with his claws. Kiaku re-appeared behind Inuyasha, tearing through his back with razor sharp claws. Inuyasha was deeply wounded, but it wasn't serious (for him, anyways). "No! Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, running towards her husband. As she ran, Kagome fired an arrow straight at Kiaku's head. Kiaku simply reached out a hand and grabbed the arrow out of mid-air; Kagome was shocked as he simply melted the arrow in his grasp. Kagome reached Inuyasha, but she was knocked out before she could check on him. A quick punch to her stomach was all Kiaku needed to take Kagome down. Next, Kiaku turned his attention to Sango and Miroku. They both charged at the demon, determined to stop him. Kiaku almost laughed at their pathetic attempts to hit him, and he knocked them both out with a strong blast of wind (which sent them each flying through a tree). Sesshomaru was the last one left (other than Myouga, who was hiding under a rock), but he knew he completely over- matched. That didn't matter though, because either way Sesshomaru was determined to go down fighting. He charged at the powerful demon, attempting to at LEAST hurt him a little. Kiaku would have none of that, though, and he tore through Sesshomaru with his claws. Sesshomaru fell to the ground, unconscious. After tying the five battered warriors up, Kiaku threw them down the well. "Time for a little trip." Kiaku said to no one in particular, an incredibly evil grin on his face.  
  
(Feudal Era)  
  
"The idiot still isn't back? It's already dark out!" Inuyara exclaimed. "No, he hasn't come back yet. I told you that he'll just need a little time. You're too impatient, Inuyara." Saroko responded with a sigh. "You love me for it though, right?" Inuyara said with a grin. "Yes, of course." Saroko replied, grinning right back at him. "Well, we might as well get some sleep. It's kinda late, after all. If Sesshomarai comes back tonight, then we'll need to be ready for some serious training." Inuyara said, grabbing his sleeping bag. "It's too cold tonight. Is there room for two in there?" Saroko asked, a blush creeping across her face. "Yeah, I'm sure I could make room for you." Inuyara replied happily. "I guess she's not angry with me anymore." He thought to himself. Saroko climbed in, fully-clothed (much to Inuyara's dismay ), and she quickly cuddled up to her man. After a quick kiss, Inuyara held her tightly, and Saroko fell asleep within minutes. Inuyara loved how she smelled, how she tasted, how she felt safe in his arms, how she fit so perfectly up against his body.....He loved everything about her. Could he tell her that yet? No. Could Saroko tell that he felt this way? Of course. She knew it when she woke up a few hours later, a loud 'purring' sound filling the air. The look of contentment on Inuyara's face was enough for Saroko to 'just know'.  
  
Sesshomarai returned just before dawn, and the sight of Saroko sleeping in Inuyara's arms was enough to make him cringe. During his day away, Sesshomarai had done everything he could think of to put Saroko out of his mind. Still, the sight of her cuddling with 'dog-turd' was almost too much for him to bear. Sesshomarai shrugged it off, knowing that he simply wasn't meant to be with Saroko. As much as it hurt, Sesshomarai had to admit that she was meant to be with Inuyara. Just the way she looked at Inuyara was enough for Sesshomarai to realize he didn't have a chance with her. "I'm not meant to find love. I don't need love! Why in the hell did I believe that 'love' would bring me happiness.....Feh! Happiness.....Who the hell needs it???" Sesshomarai thought to himself, believing that if he said it enough he might actually start to believe it. Inuyara began to stir, sensing Sesshomarai's presence. His eyes opened slowly, and they focused on Sesshomaru's son. "I would know your smell anywhere." Inuyara muttered, wiping the sleep from his eyes. "Good. Now that you're awake, we can get back to training. We'll need to get some work in, if we expect to be ready for Kiaku." Sesshomarai said, drawing the Tolkijn. "Just what I was thinking." Inuyara agreed with a smirk. He stood up as quietly as possible, doing his best not to disturb Saroko. Luckily, she stayed asleep. Inuyara and Sesshomarai traded blows for hours, their strength seemingly increasing as they went. The training was working, and their half-demon bodies were steadily becoming stronger with the hard workout.  
  
(A short time later)  
  
"Inuyara, there's a note sticking out of your pocket." Saroko pointed out, walking up to her boyfriend. She grabbed it out, quickly reading it over. Inuyara quickly became worried as Saroko's face went pale. "What's wrong, honey?" Inuyara questioned, jumping to her side. "It's....Kiaku. He.....has.....our parents." Saroko sputtered, shock washing over both her and her boyfriend. Sesshomarai grabbed the note, and was horrified to see that Kiaku had his father, too. Although Sesshomarai didn't get along with his father, he still cared for him (in his own way). "We need to go. He gives a location at the bottom of the note. It's only about a ten mile walk from here." Inuyara announced, beginning to walk off. "No, fool! We have to think about this. It's obviously a trap!" Sesshomarai shouted, grabbing Inuyara's arm. "We're going. I don't care if it is a trap. One way or another, we're saving our parents." Saroko insisted, walking with Inuyara as he pulled his arm out of Sesshomarai's grasp. "Idiots." Sesshomarai thought, shaking his head. Still, he began to follow them.  
  
Okay, that's all for Chapter 20. Kiaku has kidnapped Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Sesshomaru! He wrote a little note to Inuyara telling him about this, so he obviously has a trap set for Inuyara and friends. What is Kiaku planning? What will happen next? You'll have to read on to find out..........PLEASE review!!! Tonyf 


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21  
  
Hey, faithful readers! I'm back once again.....Getting sick of me yet? Anyways, this should be quite the chapter. Kiaku has almost everyone important to Inuyara, Saroko, and even Sesshomarai......Our three heroes will definitely have their work cut out for them.....Tonyf   
  
"Well, we've been walking for hours. I thought you knew where you were going, Inuyara." Sesshomarai growled sarcastically. "I DO know where I'm going, so shut the hell up." Inuyara replied angrily. "Oh, I believe you, considering that you don't actually LIVE in this era, and you've only been here for a number of days. I've been living here all of my life, so of course I would have NO IDEA if we were going the right way or not." Sesshomarai reasoned, a thick coat of sarcasm lining his words. Inuyara clenched his fists, and he stopped walking for the first time in hours. Saroko, realizing that her boyfriend was about to go ballistic, decided to diffuse the confrontation before it could begin. "SIT!!" She yelled, sending Sesshomarai face-first into the dirt. Inuyara grinned at this sight, almost completely forgetting his anger. He began walking once again, Saroko latching herself on his arm. They walked together, leaving Sesshomarai to wallow in his own embarrassment. "Idiot. If he would just go THE RIGHT WAY, I wouldn't be in this situation. This is what I get for trying to help....." Sesshomarai grumbled as he picked himself up off the ground. "Are you REALLY sure that we're going the right way, honey?" Saroko asked, as sweetly as she could. "No, not really. I've been guessing, actually. The directions on the note are kinda vague." Inuyara replied, sighing heavily. "Sesshomarai would probably know where to go, you know." Saroko pointed out, looking back at their dirt-covered ally. "NO. I would NEVER ask that idiot for help. EVER." Inuyara snapped, his pride clouding his better judgement. "Fine, then I will." Saroko replied, turning around and walking towards Sesshomarai. "What?!?!?! How could you? I'll find the place eventually!" Inuyara sputtered. "Oh, Sesshomarai? Could you help me out?" Saroko asked sweetly, batting her eyes at the demon. "Um, yeah, sure..." He muttered, his face reddening. It truly was a sight, the mighty Sesshomarai so easily flustered and swayed by a human girl. Inuyara was also turning red, but for a different reason (give ya one guess as to what the reason was ). "Coming, Inuyara?" Saroko asked, looking back at her boyfriend as she walked off with Sesshomarai. "Yeah, I'm coming." Inuyara grumbled.  
  
"We almost there?" Inuyara muttered, still ashamed over accepting Sesshomarai's assistance. "We'll be there in about an hour, dog-breath." Sesshomarai replied with a smirk. "We damn well better be. I still think MY way would have worked......" Inuyara grumbled in response, so quietly that Saroko couldn't even pick up the words. Sesshomarai heard it though, and his smirk only grew larger. "This is great!!" Sesshomarai thought to himself, overjoyed at Inuyara's embarassment. "Inuyara, are you okay? You have barely said a word in the past 4 hours!!!" Saroko asked, grabbing his arm (to shake him from his thoughts). "I'm fine, Saroko. I'm just thinking, that's all." Inuyara replied quietly. Just then, a demon appeared in front of the three warriors, blocking their path. It was HUGE, and it obviously had a shard of the jewel. "This must be Kiaku's way of welcoming us. Prepare for a battle, guys!" Saroko yelled, going into a fighting stance. Inuyara and Sesshomarai just continued walking, though, as if they heard nothing. They both walked right up to the demon, acting as if they didn't even notice it's presence. "What the hell are you guys doing? It's going to attack!!!" Saroko yelled, preparing to throw her boomerang. In movements that were so fast they seemed undetectable to the human eye, Inuyara and Sesshomarai walked straight through the demon, slicing it to pieces with their claws as they moved. Saroko's jaw dropped; she was left speechless by their strength, which obviously had increased greatly in the past few days. She had to run to catch up to the two half- demons, who kept on walking as if nothing had happened. "Amazing." Saroko mused as she picked up the jewel shard.  
  
"Kiaku's castle is right up ahead. I can sense the dark energy it's emitting." Sesshomarai said calmly as he pointed out their destination. "Yeah, that's definitely it. Kiaku won't get away with what he's done." Inuyara said, with an edge of anger to his voice. The anger was almost disappointing to Sesshomarai, because it replaced the embarassment. "You guys know that we won't just be able to waltz in there, grab our parents, and go home, right?" Saroko asked. "Of course it won't be that easy, wench. Any idiot could realize that." Sesshomarai growled. "SIT!!!!!!!!!!" Saroko yelled, grinning with satisfaction as the arrogant half-demon's face hit the dirt. "Bitch." He mumbled, almost inaudibly. ALMOST. "What the hell did you just say???" Inuyara yelled, lifting Sesshomarai up by the fluffy thing on his shoulder (Yes, he has one like Sesshomaru ). "I'm sure you heard me, mutt-face." Sesshomarai rasped. "Yes, I did. I was just hoping for your sake that I was hearing things." Inuyara growled, punching Sesshomarai HARD. The blow sent Sesshomarai flying straight through a tree, and it got his blood flowing. "Now we're getting somewhere. This is much better than our training sessions." He said with a grin. "ENOUGH! If you two want to tear each other apart, do it after we save our parents and Kiaku is dead!" Saroko yelled, fire burning in her eyes. How could they be so foolish, feuding with each other while their parents were in danger? "I swear, you two can be so stupid sometimes." Saroko said in a 'tsk-tsk' fashion, which was enough to get both Inuyara and Sesshomarai's ears to droop. They both sheepishly called a 'truce' (with the most uncomfortable-looking handshake you'll EVER see ) and began their approach to Kiaku's castle.  
  
The trio finally reached the front gate, and they slashed their way through. There was no "welcoming committee", which was surprising (considering Kiaku had already sent ONE demon to fight them). They cautiously walked all the way up to the front door, Saroko latched to Inuyara's sleeve. "I don't smell any demons out here. If he has any more demons ready to fight us, then they must all be inside." Inuyara whispered, and he received a subtle nod from Sesshomarai. Inuyara couldn't stand all of this "sneaking around", and he also couldn't stand being so quiet. To satisfy his needs, he kicked the front door down and jumped inside. "Very subtle, idiot." Sesshomarai thought, deciding not to verbalize his thought (for now). "Well, we're in. Now what?" Inuyara asked. "Now we go find our parents!" Saroko replied, grabbing her boyfriend's arm and pulling him towards the middle of the room. "No, wait! We need to be more cautious. Kiaku could be anywhere!" Sesshomarai hissed, a hint of panic lining his voice. "You should listen to your friend, Inuyara. I really could be anywhere." Kiaku laughed, appearing right in front of Sesshomarai, who quickly jumped to Inuyara and Saroko's side. "Where are our parents, monster???" Saroko yelled. "Oh, they're safe. For now. All you have to do to get them back safely is defeat me. If you can do that, then I'll gladly give them back to you. If not, then they'll all die, as the three of you watch." Kiaku replied with a smirk. His cold, callous laughter echoed throughout the room, sending a shiver down Saroko's spine. "We WILL defeat you, Kiaku. We will." Inuyara growled, pulling out the Tetsusaiga. "Let's go." Sesshomarai boomed, pulling out Tolkijn. Saroko got into her battle stance, holding up her boomerang. "You all look so cute, with your little "fighting" faces on. Let's go, shall we?" Kiaku rasped, charging the trio.  
  
The fateful battle is about to begin! Inuyara, Sesshomarai and Saroko vs. Kiaku.....Buy your tickets! Place your bets! This should be one for the ages........Stay on the lookout for Chapter 22!!! Anyways, PLEASE review! I'm begging you! (Okay, I wouldn't BEG, but I would come close....) Tonyf 


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22  
  
Okay, I'm back....Are you ready? Cuz it's......BATTLE TIME!!!! YAY!!!! (sweatdrops).....Um......Alrighty then......Well, anyways, it's Inuyara, Saroko, and Sesshomarai against Kiaku in this chappie....It should be good.... Tonyf   
  
Kiaku charged at the three fighters, veering off towards Sesshomarai first. There was a noticeable amount of fear glimmering in Sesshomarai's eyes, but there was also something else. There was a glimmer of something that almost looked like.....Excitement. "I'm ready. My training with Inuyara, as much as I hate to admit it, DID make me stronger. I do feel fear towards Kiaku, but I also am excited by the challenge of battling him. Strange...." Sesshomarai thought to himself, leaning back on his haunches. Kiaku wasn't slowing down, and he eventually smashed right into Sesshomarai, knocking him backwards. Sesshomarai wasn't about to lose THAT easily, and he dug his sword into the ground before he could lose his balance. "Impressive, half-breed. I didn't think you'd be able to withstand a blow like that. This battle might actually make me use a little strength." Kiaku rasped, an evil grin plastered on his face.  
  
"Let's attack him NOW, Inuyara! While he's distracted with Sesshomarai!" Saroko whispered, ready to charge at Kiaku. "No, we can't. That idiot wouldn't want us to help him; not yet, anyways." Inuyara whispered back, holding her arm tightly. Saroko let out a quiet sigh, but she knew her boyfriend was right.  
  
Kiaku phased out, and reappeared behind Sesshomarai. He attempted to strike him in the back, but Sesshomarai was able to block the blow with his Tolkijn. "I won't be beaten as easily as you think, Kiaku." Sesshomarai said, the fear in his eyes quickly turning into confidence. Kiaku was taken aback by his opponent's strength, but he still wasn't the least bit worried. "I really thought you'd collapse like a house of cards, but I guess it's not going to be so simple. It's time to show you what I REALLY can do." Kiaku growled, his face twisting into a painful-looking frown. A black aura surrounded Kiaku, and the air crackled with electricity. Sesshomarai, Inuyara, and Saroko all had to cover their eyes and cringe, trying to avoid the growing energy field.  
  
"He's getting stronger! We need to stop this NOW!" Inuyara yelled while trying to shield Saroko from the dark energy. "I know that, idiot! But how? We can't get any closer to him yet. We'd be torn apart!" Sesshomarai yelled back. "You fools will see the true depths of my power, now. I don't want to fight you all at once, though. There is only one of you I REALLY want to fight." Kiaku rasped, his eyes coal black and pure evil energy crackling between his fingers. "Great, he wants me one-on- one!" Sesshomarai thought sourly. "I will have THEM distract the other two." Kiaku boomed, pointing towards the shadows across the room. Suddenly, five familiar figures stepped out of those shadows. Inuyasha, Kagome, Sesshomaru, Sango, and Miroku all emerged, their eyes as black as Kiaku's. "What have you done to our parents?!?!?!?" Saroko yelled, trying to hold back her rage. "They are my servants, now. I have them under my spell. The only way to break it = beat me." Kiaku said with a grin. The room was then filled with the sadistic laughter that could only come from Kiaku. "Kagome and Sango....I would like you to fight Saroko. Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sesshomaru.....I want you three to fight Sesshomarai. Inuyara, you're mine." Kiaku rasped, pointing towards Inuyara. "Him? He's the one you want to fight alone???" Sesshomarai yelled, a mixture of jealousy and relief washing through him. "He is the only one that can present a true challenge to me, whether he knows it or not." Kiaku said with a grin.  
  
"I can't fight my own mother, and Kagome!" Saroko exclaimed, stepping away from the two possessed women. "We need to, wench. I have to fight my own father, and my battle will prove to be MUCH tougher than yours. I don't see what you're complaining about." Sesshomarai replied calmly. As much as Saroko wanted to "SIT" him, she knew his words were true. They didn't have a choice in the matter. This was a matter of fight, or die. "I promise I won't hurt either of you too badly." Saroko said, a twinge of sadness in her voice as she began battling. Although it wasn't as noticeable as Sesshomarai or Inuyara's improvements, Saroko's fighting skills had also improved. She moved gracefully, dodging Kagome's arrow and tripping her mother at the same time. Saroko then threw a hesitant punch towards Kagome, catching her right in the stomach. The blow should have been enough to knock Kagome out, but she seemed utterly unfazed. "Inuyara!!! You have to beat Kiaku quickly! He has them hypnotized in such a way that it seems they can't even feel pain! I think the only way to stop them is to.......is to....." Saroko couldn't finish the sentence, as tears overcame her. Inuyara understood what he had to do, though, and he glared it Kiaku. "It's the beginning of the end, monster. Your life will end today." Inuyara growled, his anger causing the Tetsusaiga to pulsate.  
  
Sesshomarai was surprised by the strength of Inuyasha and Miroku, who were both much stronger than he had imagined. His father's strength was very familiar to him, though. It was that same strength that had made Sesshomarai what he was. Fighting all three of them at once quickly proved to be impossible, even for Sesshomarai. He was forced to try the "divide and conquer" strategy, running away whenever he was cornered by all three of them. Then, he would attack whoever caught up to him first. The strategy was working for the time being, but the 3 possessed warriors seemed tireless. Their strength was beginning to overcome the tired Sesshomarai, as well. "You'll need to hurry, idiot!!!" Sesshomarai yelled in between ragged breaths.  
  
Inuyara heard the words of both his lover and his "acquaintance", but he tried to push them out of his mind. He needed to concentrate, and do whatever he could to bring out ALL of his energy. Kiaku said that he was the only "true challenge, even if he didn't know it", and Inuyara wanted to prove him right. He wanted to end Kiaku's reign of terror, once and for all. Inuyara raised his sword, and he fired a blast of energy at Kiaku with the wind scar. Kiaku phased out, completely avoiding the blast, which smashed through the castle wall. "Honestly, do you think THAT is going to stop me? I know you have more energy in you somewhere. I just need to find a way to bring it out." Kiaku mused, scratching his chin. While Kiaku was 'thinking', Inuyara charged at his opponent. "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!!!" He yelled, slicing directly through Kiaku. The wound in Kiaku's torso was deep, and Inuyara thought that the battle was on the verge of ending. How little he knew. "That was good, Inuyara. Always make sure that you attack a more powerful opponent while he's distracted. Honestly, I like the way you think. You'd make a great henchman for me." Kiaku said, flashing his evil grin as the wound on his torso completely closed. Inuyara could just stand there, shock washing over him. "How can he be beaten???" Inuyara thought to himself. "I can't." Kiaku yelled, punching Inuyara in the face (and sending him sprawling across the room). "Damn! I forgot he could read minds...." Inuyara thought, rubbing his face. Kiaku phased out, and reappeared with one hand on Inuyara's Tetsuiga and the other hand on Inuyara's neck. "I want you to suffer, Inuyara. I want the son of my greatest enemy to feel the same pain that I felt." Kiaku rasped bitterly, a surprising twinge of sadness lacing his words. With that, Kiaku waved his hand and immediately had everyone else in the room bound together with an energy chain. Kiaku's spell on everyone was broken, and the color returned to all of their eyes.  
  
Everyone except for Inuyara and Kiaku was entrapped in this "energy chain", and they were absolutely unable to move. "I will bring out your power, Inuyara. One way or another." Kiaku growled. With that, he squeezed the chain tighter. Everyone yelled out in pain, but it was Saroko's scream of agony that tore at Inuyara's heart. "Stop it NOW!" Inuyara yelled, fire burning in his eyes. Kiaku simply squeezed the chain tighter. Everyone yelled out again; Inuyara watched Saroko's face, and the look in her eyes was enough to send him over the edge. He began to shake with anger, and a white aura surrounded him. "Yes, this is what I've been waiting for! Bring it out, Inuyara!" Kiaku exclaimed, delighted that he had brought on this anger. "You....won't hurt my family, my friends.....my LOVE....again!!!!!!" Inuyara screamed. The entire castle began to rumble, and the air was now crackling with Inuyara's energy. Kiaku powered himself back up to his previous level, and he emitted just as much dark energy. Inuyara found an even higher level, though, and he pushed his powers beyond anywhere they had ever been. The castle felt as if it could collapse at any moment, with Inuyara's massive power coursing through the entire structure. Kiaku had forgotten about the energy chain, as he put his full concentration on Inuyara. Everyone looked on, shocked expressions on their faces as Inuyara's power continued to grow. "Inuyara..." Saroko whispered, a smile crossing her face.  
  
As suddenly as Inuyara's amazing energy had surfaced, it disappeared. The white aura still surrounded him, but the castle had stopped rumbling and the air was no longer filled with electricity. "Is that everything you had, Inuyara? Just enough for a light show? How utterly disappointing." Kiaku rasped, charging at him. As Kiaku's fist was about to meet Inuyara's face, Kiaku was grabbed and thrown across the room. Kiaku crashed through the wall, leaving a huge hole. Inuyara had thrown him in one quick motion, making it look effortless. Completely ignoring his handiwork, Inuyara walked towards his family and friends. "Are you guys okay?" He asked, disintegrating the weakened energy chain with one touch. "We're....fine, son." Kagome said, reaching out to hug Inuyara. As she touched her son's arm, shockwaves coursed through her body. Inuyara quickly pulled away, shaking his head. "No one can touch me, right now. I have what I need to finish that fool off, and I'm going to do it. Please, everyone just stay back. Sesshomarai, keep them ALL safe, or I swear that I'll come after you next." Inuyara said calmly, walking back towards the hole in the wall that Kiaku had just made. "That's no empty threat." Sesshomarai thought to himself, just nodding as Inuyara walked away.  
  
WHEW!!! That's one of the longer chapters that I've written. I'm tired........I hope you enjoyed it! Will Inuyara be able to finish off Kiaku? You'll have to tune in next time to find out! PLEASE REVIEW!!!! PLEEEAAAASSSEEE!!!!!! Tonyf 


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23  
  
Inuyara vs Kiaku....Who's going to win? Will the mighty Kiaku destroy his young opponent, or will the young Inuyara be able to use his new-found strength to finally down the seemingly indestructable foe? Read on to find out..... Tonyf   
  
"Get up. Now." Inuyara demanded, standing in front of the Kiaku- sized hole in the wall. "I knew you had hidden power, Inuyara. Now, I'll finally get to test my strength." Kiaku rasped, a grin on his face as he stood up. "You made a fatal mistake, Kiaku. You under-estimated how much energy I had, stored deep inside. It's more than enough to destroy you." Inuyara explained, a strange 'calm' in his voice. "We'll see about that, won't we?" Kiaku shot back. With that, Kiaku once again began to emit dark energy. The floor began to shake, and Kiaku floated above the ground. "Now, let's test that 'strength' of yours!" Kiaku bellowed, phasing in front of Inuyara quicker than the human eye could detect. In a movement matching Kiaku's speed, Inuyara held his tetsusaiga out and blocked Kiaku's advances. Both fighters then engaged in a super-human battle, fists and swords flashing all over the room. No one, not even Sesshomaru or Inuyasha, was able to follow the movements in this incredible fight.  
  
The battle continued this way for about ten minutes, before both fighters finally slowed things down. Amazingly, neither one of them showed any signs of fatigue. "This is truly exhilarating, Inuyara. Never before have I been able to test my abilities against a worthy opponent." Kiaku exclaimed, the evil grin still on his face. "Well, I'm not doing this for your amusement, monster. I'm doing this to destroy you." Inuyara retorted. "I'm just curious, Inuyara, how you're able to maintain your energy even though it is no longer emitting from your body. How did you manage to lock it inside, so you could use it at will?" Kiaku inquired. "I'm thinking....That it's absolutely none of your business. All you need to know is that my 'energy' is going to help me destroy you, TODAY." Inuyara responded. "Honestly, I think it is because of my love for my family, and my friends, and.....Saroko. God, how I love her. I'd do anything to keep her safe." Inuyara thought to himself as he watched Kiaku's angry facial expressions. ( "Kiaku can read minds!!!", you all are undoubtedly screaming. Yeah, but Inuyara's power has risen so much that he can block Kiaku's mental abilities.... Tonyf )  
  
"Get everyone out of here, Sesshomarai. Do it now." Inuyara demanded, never taking his eyes off of Kiaku. "No! I won't leave you, Inuyara!" Saroko protested. "You need to, Saroko. This place isn't going to be standing much longer. I promise, I'll be fine." Inuyara assured her, his eyes still locked on Kiaku. Sesshomarai understood what Inuyara meant, and he began to lead everyone towards the door. Kiaku looked over towards them, ready to protest. When he looked over at Inuyara, though, he saw the look in his eyes. The look was DARING him to move, daring him to try and stop them from leaving. "That idiot is actually intimidating me! I've never felt this before....This....FEAR! I will not let him strike fear into me; he hasn't proven a damn thing yet!" Kiaku thought, phasing himself out. He appeared in front of Saroko, ready to take out the love of Inuyara's life. Shock washed through Kiaku's body, though, as he looked up and saw Inuyara standing in front of Saroko, arms crossed and a grin on his face. "Not today, Kiaku. Nice plan, though. I give you 'originality points'." Inuyara chided. In a movement quicker than the human eye could detect, Inuyara pounded Kiaku in the stomach and sent him flying into the wall. "Please, honey. Follow Sesshomarai now. I don't want you to get hurt." Inuyara pleaded, staring into Saroko's eyes. "I will, Inuyara. You had BETTER come back to me, or I'll kill you myself." She said, wiping away tears. "Please, no crying. I won't lose to THAT idiot." Inuyara whispered, pointing to Kiaku's fallen form. Saroko couldn't help but grin. "I love you, Inuyara." She said, wrapping him in her embrace. Inuyara gladly hugged her back, and he gave her a long, meaningful kiss. "I love you too, Saroko." He said with a smile, gently pushing her towards Sesshomarai and the door. Saroko walked out slowly, never taking her eyes off of Inuyara; she blew him a kiss as she disappeared from sight. "Time to get serious." Inuyara growled, looking back at Kiaku, who was just getting to his feet.  
  
"I've had more than enough of this, Inuyara. I'll admit, I vastly underestimated you. Still, YOU vastly underestimate ME as well. You still haven't seen my full power, and I think it's about time you witness my true greatness." Kiaku declared, black energy once again surrounding him. "This time, we won't be going soft. The kid gloves are off, Inuyara. Can you take the heat?" Kiaku asked, his dark energy shaking the entire castle. "Of course. Can you?" Inuyara replied, his white aura once again flashing. "This castle is going to come apart any minute now. Thank god I got everyone out of here." Inuyara thought to himself. Kiaku was fully charged now, and he looked different. His face was all scrunched up, and his evil grin was gone, replaced with a huge scowl. "Let's go then." Inuyara shouted, charging at Kiaku. The two warriors clashed, trading blow after blow. Their speed was incredible, and the energy they were emitting was enough to shake up the castle. After about five minutes of this, both Inuyara and Kiaku began to feel the effects of the blows. Both fighters slowed things down a little. "Let's see what you do with this." Inuyara shouted, swinging his Tetsusaiga and unleashing the wind scar. This was MUCH stronger than usual though, and it was enough to bring the already- shaky castle to the ground. Saroko heard the "boom" from the distance, and she ran back towards the castle. When she saw the rubble from the collapsed castle, she almost lost it. "Inuyara!!! Where are you?" She screamed. There was no movement, except for the raindrops that had just begun to fall from the heavens. Everyone except for Saroko stood underneath some trees, keeping themselves dry. The reality of the situation set in, and Saroko realized that her boyfriend might not have survived. The rain suddenly became the perfect shroud, masking her tears as they flowed down her face.  
  
"I'm fine. Please, get the others FAR away from here. Kiaku is knocked out, but he won't be for long. All of you need to leave NOW." These are the words Saroko heard, ringing through her ears. She immediately understood, and her tears stopped. "Let's go, guys. We need to run." Saroko said, running towards them. Sesshomarai nodded, grabbed Miroku, Sango, and Kagome, and began to run at top speed. Saroko, Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru followed close behind. "Please God, let him come back to me." Saroko mumbled, trying to keep up.  
  
Inuyara was the first to burst out from the rubble, and Kiaku followed seconds later. Kiaku was battered, as he had taken the full brunt of Inuyara's last attack. Inuyara was also weakened, but he didn't really show it. "I can't win like this. It's becoming obvious that somehow, someway, he's become stronger than me. Desperate times call for desperate measures." Kiaku thought to himself, holding out his hand. "Are you ready to give up now, Kiaku?" Inuyara asked. "No. I know that I can't beat you in a one-on-one fight, now. It's become obvious to me. I still can cause you great pain, though. The one thing that would tear you apart is losing your family; I can arrange that." Kiaku growled, slicing through the very fabric of time with his claws (Remember when he did that in "Inuyasha's True Feelings"? After all of these years, he's only gotten stronger and he still is able to do that VERY well Tonyf ) The large hole that opened up was awe-inspiring, and it began to pull in everything in it's range (similar to Miroku's wind tunnel). "We're going into this hole, Inuyara. Wherever we go, we'll be there together." Kiaku laughed, the evil grin back on his face. Inuyara dug the Tetsusaiga into the ground, trying to keep himself from being engulfed by the hole. The pull was too much, though. Kiaku grabbed Inuyara's arm, and he tugged on him with every bit of strength he had left. "Noooo! Saroko...I love you!!!!" Inuyara yelled, his voice fading as he disappeared into the emptyness of the hole. As soon as it had Kiaku and Inuyara within it, the hole closed just as quickly as it had opened.  
  
As everyone ran together, Saroko suddenly collapsed to the ground, her body racked with sobs. "What is it, girl?" Sesshomarai asked, actual CONCERN in his voice. "Inuyara..." She mumbled, between sobs.  
  
That's all for this chapter....CLIFFIE!!!!! hehehehehe....Sorries, but I had to do it....Anyways, I'm pretty sure Inuyara isn't REALLY gone, right? The main character can't just be gone....Right??? You'll have to read on to find out..... Please review!!!!! I'll pay you (pretend internet monopoly money)!!!! Tonyf 


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24  
  
Here we go, folks.....Kiaku has taken Inuyara with him through a rip in time....Is Inuyara really gone? You're just gonna have to read on to find out, aren't ya now? hehehehe Tonyf   
  
"Girl, you need to get a hold of yourself. We don't know what happened to Inuyara yet. We weren't there to see it, so we don't know anything for sure. He could be dead, but he could also still be alive. Hell, he could even still be fighting, for all we know." Sesshomarai pointed out, trying to be comforting. Caring. Even COMPASSIONATE. These were traits you wouldn't find in Sesshomarai, even a couple of weeks back. Sesshomaru took notice of this, and he felt proud of Sesshomarai. Proud of his son, for the first time in his lifetime. "Teaming him up with Inuyara and Saroko was a good idea, after all. They've changed him, for the better. He might be able to do good things in his lifetime, now. Even if Inuyara can't. His life signal has disappeared from this realm. Poor girl." Sesshomaru thought to himself, glancing at the still-sobbing Saroko.  
  
"No, Sesshomarai. Inuyara and I have been close our entire lives. We know everything about each other, things no one else could ever know. He means everything to me, and I know that he looks at me the same way. It's almost like we have a connection of some sort. I can feel it, Sesshomarai. He's.......gone." Saroko whispered, her voice shaking. Sesshomarai looked over towards his father, and saw a subtle nod. "No. Why did this have to happen to this girl? She doesn't deserve this. And Inuyara was a good man. Someone I actually could have befriended, in time." Sesshomarai thought to himself, shaking his head in disbelief. Even the rock-solid Inuyasha, not one to show his feelings, quietly sobbed as he pounded his fist against a tree. He could also sense that his son's presence had disappeared. Kagome, Sango, and Miroku were all still blissfully unaware of what had happened, and Inuyasha planned to keep it that way (for now). "Let's go." Inuyasha growled, wiping his eyes with his haori. He lead the way, as the others followed (except Saroko and Sesshomarai).  
  
"Please, Sesshomarai. I need some time alone." Saroko pleaded, her eyes swollen from crying. "I'm not leaving you here alone, girl. Not now. When grieving, it can help to have someone there with you." Sesshomarai mumbled, blushing at how "goody-goody" he sounded. "What the hell do you care, anyways? You still would be our enemy, if you didn't want to save your own ass. You don't care about anyone but yourself!! You don't know love....You couldn't know how I feel about Inuyara; what he means to me. He's all that I ever wanted, in this life. How am I supposed to go on.....without him?" Saroko sobbed, the emotions pouring out of her. The only man she could ever love was gone, and all Saroko wanted was for death to embrace her, as well. She curled up into the fetal position, rain drenching her vulnerable body. Sesshomarai, 'cold-hearted' as he was, couldn't handle watching this anymore. Even his icy heart was tugged at by this display of grief. "Please, girl. You're going to get sick, like this." Sesshomarai whispered, trying to hold back his own emotions. He took off his robe (is that what it would be called? If not, what would you call it?), and draped it over Saroko. She looked up at him, not sure what to make of his gesture. Still, she was too distraught to put up any fight. Sesshomarai sat down next to her, both warriors COMPLETELY soaked at this point. Saroko didn't know what to do anymore, what to think. All she knew was that her entire world was torn apart, and she didn't know what reason she had to keep on living. Sesshomarai inched closer to her, wanting to comfort her. To his amazement, she actually buried her face into his shoulder, crying uncontrollably. "Shhhh. It'll be okay, Saroko. I promise, everything will turn out okay." Sesshomarai whispered, gently rubbing her head. "Did he just call me by my name?" Saroko thought, in between sobs. Shortly thereafter, the completely drained girl drifted into a restless sleep.  
  
"It's so dark here. So empty. Where the hell am I?" Inuyara asked, as he slowly opened his eyes. "I don't know where WE are. All I know is that it's far away from everyone you care about." Kiaku rasped, his evil laughter surrounding Inuyara. "You bastard! How dare you do this? Take me back home NOW!" Inuyara yelled, jumping to his feet. "Fool. Why in the hell would I do that?" Kiaku asked. "I'll kill you myself if you don't. Very, VERY slowly." Inuyara growled, unsheathing his Tetsusaiga. Kiaku just laughed at this. "Down, boy. I'm the only company you'll have here, so you had better keep me alive. You don't want to be all alone, do you? I mean, I'm sure I could make you into my apprentice. It'll be wonderful, Inuyara. Then, when you are perfectly ready to take over for me, I'll send you back home." Kiaku explained. "No, you son of a bitch. That isn't happening. You have no intention of sending me home, and I have no intention of keeping you alive. Your reign of terror is over, monster. Taking me away from everything I love was your last act of evil." Inuyara growled. With that, he blasted a MONSTROUS shot of energy from the Tetsusaiga (using the windscar) straight at a mortified Kiaku. The blast was huge, and even Kiaku was unable to move in time. "No! What have you done, fool? You'll never get home now........" Kiaku yelled, as the blast engulfed him. "It's over." Inuyara mumbled, as he watched Kiaku turn to dust. Daylight suddenly burst into view, and Inuyara realized that he and Kiaku were in a house of some sort. The blast from the Tetsusaiga had destroyed the house, and showed Inuyara that he was somewhere very familiar. "Is that....Kaede's house?!?!?!?" Inuyara gasped, looking across the way.  
  
"I can't believe this! I'm in the Kaede's village. There is the forest named after my father!" Inuyara exclaimed, looking towards the forest. He ran towards Kaede's house, but found no one there. In fact, no one was in the village at all. Or the forest. There wasn't even as much as a single animal or insect. "I don't get it." Inuyara muttered, looking towards the stormy sky. The rain began falling, and Inuyara could feel it pelt his skin. "This isn't all an illusion. What the hell is it, then?" Inuyara wondered. He sat on the ground for a few minutes, trying to figure things out. After a short time, impatience won out over thought. Inuyara decided to try the method that had worked so long for him and his father - hack and slash. He just began swinging his sword around, firing blasts with the windscar towards everything in site. Inuyara figured that maybe this would help him to somehow open a rip in time, similar to the way Kiaku did. After about 15 minutes, everything in the village was completely destroyed (and there was no one around to CARE). No hole in the fabric of time, though. "You'd think it would be easier to rip a hole in time, if the bastard I DESTROYED could do it." Inuyara grumbled, surveying the destruction in front of him. A bolt of lightning shot from the sky, blasting the some nearby rubble. Finally, it dawned on Inuyara. "That's it!!!!" Inuyara yelled, a huge grin on his face.  
  
Inuyara realized that Kiaku's dark energy had drawn it's power mostly from electricity, somehow. After all, Kiaku was always generating electricity whenever he powered up. So Inuyara concluded that the electricity must have been the key to opening a hole in the fabric of time. "I'll do this!" Inuyara exclaimed, to no one in particular. He quickly set up a metal pole (hey, there was a metal pole CONVENIENTLY just lying around ) to serve as a lightning rod, and waited. After a short amount of time, the lightning finally hit the pole, and Inuyara used the Tetsusaiga to suck in the energy. "Okay, here goes!!!" He yelled, using the windscar along with the lightning to fire a HUGE blast of energy. The blast was powerful, and amazingly, it WAS enough to tear a hole in time. Inuyara noticed the hole, which was small but visible. Because he had just been taken to this time (dimension, whatever) by a rip in time, the hole that Inuyara just opened would certainly lead him back home. ( My logic for this? Well, Kiaku had just recently ripped a hole in time. Although it is difficult to figure out exactly where you will end up when ripping a hole in time, the pathway from the dimension Inuyara is currently stuck in and his home dimension is still kinda "loose", because it hasn't had a chance to COMPLETELY close yet. Get what I'm saying? If not, PM me and I'll try to explain it more thoroughly. ) Inuyara jumped through, praying all the while that he was doing this the right way. "I need to be with Saroko. Please, god.....Take me home to her." Inuyara whispered, as he floated through the hole.  
  
That's all for this chapter......For all of you who are thinking Sesshomarai was just trying to take advantage of Saroko's grief to get into her pants - You are WRONG.....He was just showing some compassion towards her.....During his time with Inuyara and Saroko, he has softened considerably.....Believe me, I have absolutely NO plans to get Saroko and Sesshomarai together....But don't worry, Sesshomarai fans....I'll get him a girl soon....Cuz I'm nice that way........Kiaku is FINALLY dead.....Gone, disintegrated, blown up, defeated, crushed, kaput......You get the picture.....Will Inuyara get back home? You're going to have to WAIT till the next chapter, to find out....hehehehe....Oh, and PLEASE review!!!!! I'll love you all if you do!!! Tonyf 


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25  
  
I'm back, once again.....Inuyara has destroyed Kiaku AND found a way to tear a hole in the fabric of time....Impressive .....But was he able to get back to his own time? Will Inuyara be re-united with his family and his love, Saroko? Read on to find out, faithful readers.... Tonyf   
  
The rain had stopped, and the sun shone brightly over the trees. Sesshomarai was leaning against one of those trees, and an exhausted Saroko was still sleeping with her head on his shoulder. Sesshomarai looked back and forth, his head in almost constant motion. "Nothing is going to attack her; not now or ever. I need to protect her, because it is what Inuyara would want. I wasn't close to him, but I do respect him. If there was one thing he could ask for, before his death, he would have asked for Saroko's safety to be assured. It is my responsibility, now." Sesshomarai thought to himself, a somber look on his face. "Are you both quite ready to come back, yet? We are going to meet in Kaede's old village, so Inuyasha can break the news to the others. It isn't going to be easy, and we should all be there for support." Sesshomaru whispered, surprising his son. "Don't sneak up on me like that! I'm already on edge enough, father." Sesshomarai hissed. "Let's go, son. She is exhausted, and she has been through much pain and heartache. It's best for you to carry her along, and let her sleep." Sesshomaru explained, trying to keep his voice down as much as possible. "Yeah, we should get moving. I'm amazed that Inuyasha's wife and this girl's parents have not figured out Inuyara's fate yet. Aren't they worried about Saroko, and why she was so upset?" Sesshomarai asked. "Yes, they are worried. Inuyasha explained it to them that she was just worried about Inuyara, and she was caught up in emotion. They bought the explanation, but they still aren't sure about why Inuyara hasn't returned. Inuyasha told them that the battle was still raging on when they left, and it could go on for quite some time. Kagome hasn't really bought that explanation, and she has been VERY worried. Her motherly instincts must be telling her that something isn't right." Sesshomaru explained. "Fine, let's go. They all need to hear the truth, and there might be something we can do to help ease the pain." Sesshomarai said with a sigh, picking up Saroko and heading towards the village. "Amazing." Sesshomaru thought, looking at his son with pride.  
  
(Hours later)  
  
"We're all here, Inuyasha. You must proceed with delivering the news." Sesshomaru declared. "I know that!!! It's just.....This isn't an easy thing to do. My son is gone, Sesshomaru. How am I going to tell everyone that? How will I tell Kagome? Or Saroko, the girl who loves him?" Inuyasha questioned, his eyes glued to the ground. "Saroko already knows what has happened. That is why she was so distraught, yesterday." Sesshomaru replied. "She knows? How?" Inuyasha asked. "The girl had such a connection to Inuyara, she was able to sense the disappearance of his life signal. It's amazing, how much she cares for him at such a young age. They truly were meant to be together. That is why it is going to take everything your family has to try and hold her together. Saroko is lost, and she doesn't know what she has left to live for. You all need to show her that there is still reason to go on, to survive." Sesshomaru responded. "That's going to be difficult, Sesshomaru. I..I don't even know how I'm going to keep going. If not for Kagome....." Inuyasha mumbled, sadness in his golden eyes. "I know, brother. But Kiaku is gone as well, and Inuyara was able to protect all of us. It was a noble sacrifice, one that Inuyara was surely happy to make. Inuyara's sacrifice was one we all would have made, if we had enough strength. We all need to live on to honor his memory." Sesshomaru assured. "You...You're right. I need to tell them all about his sacrifice....somehow." Inuyasha muttered, walking towards the middle of the village (where everyone was gathered).  
  
When Inuyasha returned, he surveyed the scene in front of him. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Saroko were all sitting together. Sesshomarai was standing nearby, his arms crossed as he leaned against a tree. Saroko was still completely distraught, and she was sobbing into her mother's lap. Sango gently caressed her daughter's head, but she was still unaware of the true reason for her pain. Saroko was unable to speak since she returned, and Sesshomarai refused to let out any of the information; he simply said that Inuyasha would be the one to explain everything. Kagome stared blankly into the sky, her heart telling her what was wrong with Saroko. It took everything she had for Kagome to hold herself together, and she did so only for the sake of everyone else. Kagome was always the strong, stable one. What would they think if she was to fall to pieces? Her heart was broken, because she realized that her son was probably gone. But still, Kagome held her emotions in check. She sadly wondered to herself if she would be able to maintain her strength, after Inuyasha revealed the news.  
  
"Guys, we've got company!" Sesshomarai suddenly shouted, looking to the air. Everyone jumped to their feet, and looked up at the two large demons that flew down from the sky and charged towards them. Sesshomarai and his father jumped towards one, while Inuyasha and everyone else focused on the other one. Saroko stood, but she didn't even hold up her weapon in a defensive position. Her eyes were blank, and her legs were barely able to support her own weight. The demons were strong; stronger than the average demons, anyways. Sesshomaru and his son were having difficulty destroying the first one, even with their incredible strength. It took everything Inuyasha and the others had to keep the other one occupied; they were barely able to scratch it. "This is no good, Inuyasha. These demons are strong, and we aren't all at full strength. I don't think we can beat them right now." Miroku shouted, swinging his staff at the demon's side. "We can take these bastards! Don't give up yet!" Inuyasha shot back, slicing at the demon with his claws. "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" Inuyasha yelled, blasting the demon. It would have been more than enough to slay a normal demon, but this demon was only slightly injured. Kagome quickly realized why. "They have jewel shards, Inuyasha! Both demons have a piece of the jewel embedded in their foreheads!" She yelled. Sesshomarai heard her words, and he quickly stabbed his Tolkijn into the first demon's forehead. The demon roared in agony, and it quickly collapsed as the jewel shard fell to the ground. The second demon was too strong for Inuyasha and the others, though. It knocked them all back with a huge blast of fire breath, and it set it's sights on Saroko. Sesshomarai was mortified when he saw this, but he was too far away. He couldn't save her in time!  
  
Saroko saw the demon coming towards her, but she made no motion to defend herself. As much as she loved her family, she would welcome death. Being with Inuyara was the only thing she wanted in life, and she was no longer able to have that. But now, she could be with him in death. Saroko dropped her weapon, and stared straight into the demon's eyes as it charged her. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion, with Sango and Miroku shouting for Saroko to move, Sesshomarai running towards her (although he had NO chance of saving her), and the demon almost upon her. Then, just as it was about to tear Saroko apart, the demon was split in two. Everyone stared, mouths hanging open in shock, as Inuyara stood over the demon's carcass. "Dumbass demon, trying to hurt my girl. NO ONE hurts my Saroko." Inuyara growled, spitting on the demon. Saroko was unable to move, unable to tell if this was real or not. Inuyara walked over to her, and he put his hand on her cheek. "It's me, honey. I would never leave you here alone. I'm back for good." He whispered. Saroko broke down, sobs racking her body as she buried her face into his haori. "I...I thought you were gone. I thought I'd never see you again. I was so scared, Inuyara." She sobbed. "I know, Saroko. But it's okay now. Kiaku is finished, and I found my way back to you. Now we can be happy, together. That's all that matters." Inuyara assured. Everyone else was too surprised by Inuyara's sudden appearance to move, to talk, to cry, to do ANYTHING. Saroko and Inuyara were in their own little world. Inuyara wiped away her tears and kissed her, and all was right once again in Saroko's heart.  
  
Awwww....Inuyara found his way back to Saroko, and JUST in time....Everything is okay once again, right? Inuyara is back, Kiaku is gone....Nothing but blue skies ahead, right? You'll have to keep on reading to find out...hehehehe... Tonyf 


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26  
  
Inuyara is back where he belongs, with his family and friends....But is everything really okay? I'm sure there are still some things that need to be resolved.....Or else I wouldn't have a whole lot more to write about, would I? (sweatdrop)....Tonyf   
  
After an extremely tearful reunion with all of his family and friends (a tear even fell from INUYASHA'S eye), Inuyara just wanted to sleep. He was completely worn, after his ordeal. Everyone slowly went home, and Inuyara walked towards his front door, Saroko still latched to his arm. The girl refused to leave Inuyara's side, ever since his unbelievable return. Miroku and Sango called her back to their house, to follow them inside; but Saroko was GOING to stay by Inuyara's side, no matter what. Everything else be damned, she was never leaving her man again. Kagome shook her head "yes", assuring Sango and Miroku that it was okay. Saroko needed to be with Inuyara, and everyone understood that now. "I'll go draw you a bath, Inuyara. After you're finished, Saroko can take one. You both are filthy, after all you've been through, and a bath will refresh you both." Kagome said, walking to the bathroom.  
  
The bath felt like HEAVEN to Inuyara, as he eased his way into the steaming water and relaxed his tense muscles. Saroko wouldn't wait in Inuyara's room, wouldn't even wait outside the bathroom door. She was right in the bathroom with Inuyara, covering her eyes (just enough so she could peek ) with one hand and squeezing Inuyara's hand with the other. "I was so scared I would never see you again." Inuyara blurted out suddenly, as Saroko massaged his palm. She uncovered her eyes, looking straight at his face. No, straight into his eyes, into the depths of his soul. "Kiaku ripped a hole in time, and he said he would take me away from everything important. He pulled me with everything he had, and I couldn't hold my ground. I felt myself being sucked in, and at that moment, I thought I had seen you for the last time. All I could do as I felt myself disappearing was yell out that I love you. It...it was all I could do." He continued, tears welling up in his eyes. Saroko stared at him, amazed at his show of emotion. "I love you with all my heart, Saroko. When I thought I would never see you again....That is what gave me the strength to finish off Kiaku and use my Tetsusaiga to rip a hole in time, so I could get back to you. You were the only thing I could think about, Saroko. It was during that time I realized...You really are the only one for me. Now, and forever. I don't want to be apart from you, ever again." Inuyara declared, his voice cracking. He stood up, neither him or Saroko caring about his sudden EXPOSURE. Then, he shocked Saroko by getting down on one knee, and grabbing her hand. "I want to be with you forever. And honey, I want forever to really begin today. Saroko Tajiya, will you marry me?" Inuyara asked, a tear slowly falling down his cheek. Shock, joy, amazement, and love all flowed through Saroko at that instant. There was no hesitation in her answer, though. "I never want us to be apart again, either...Yes! Of course I'll marry you, Inuyara Higurashi!" Saroko sobbed, tears of joy flowing down her face.  
  
(Author's note - I meant for Saroko to be a tough, strong-willed, witty character....And she IS....Sure, over the past few chapters she has been kinda.....Crying all the time, upset constantly, never seeming like a "strong" character.....But look at what she has been through!!! You'd probably be acting the same way, in her situation. So just remember, Saroko is not as "whiny" or "weak" as she has seemed, lately. And I got creative with the last names, because Inuyasha doesn't really HAVE one, and I wasn't quite sure what to make Saroko's....)  
  
Inuyara had no ring to give Saroko, yet. But the words were more than enough, for both of them. The two lovers embraced, Inuyara devoid of any clothing and Saroko still completely filthy. None of that mattered, though. All that mattered to both Inuyara and Saroko was the person they were currently holding in their arms. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Are you guys okay in there? Seems like you've both been in there for quite awhile." Kagome asked. "We're both doing great, mom. Now, and for the rest of our lives." Inuyara replied, surprising his mother. She wasn't sure exactly what he meant, but she RARELY heard that sort of tone in her son's voice. Kagome was unsure of exactly what was GOING ON in there, but she decided it would be best to leave the two lovebirds alone. For now, anyways.....  
  
"What is going on in there, Kagome? They have been in that bathroom for over an hour, now! I need to use the damn toilet!" Inuyasha complained. "You know we have another bathroom, Inuyasha. Don't be so nosy! They are both adults....Whatever they choose to do is their business." Kagome pointed out, finding it to be harder than she imagined to say those words. Sesshomaru and his son sat on the other side of the living room, watching the television. "This box with pictures is truly amazing, brother. Why haven't you told me of this?" Sesshomaru asked. "It's not that big of a deal. I barely watch the thing. Only when Kagome forces me to watch these "real shows", or when I watch some "football". I love watching the big hits....Kagome won't let me play, though...." Inuyara mumbled, with a sigh. "That's REALITY shows, honey, and I won't let you play football because you'll end up killing everyone else on the field." Kagome replied wearily; she obviously had to shoot down the "football" idea more than once. "I wouldn't do that! I'm careful enough with my damn strength!" Inuyasha argued. "Yeah, I can see it now. The second a guy runs past you, you'll fire an "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer" at him, he'll fall into a bunch of bloody pieces, you'll pick up the ball, flatten everyone else in the way, and run to the endzone." Kagome groaned. "Feh." Inuyasha said, turning in the opposite direction. Sesshomaru and Sesshomarai looked on, completely unaware of what the HELL Inuyasha and Kagome were speaking about. "What does this thing do, uncle?" Sesshomarai asked, picking up the TV remote. "Uncle??? That's new...." Inuyasha thought to himself. "It changes the channels on the television." Kagome answered for her husband. "Television?" Sesshomarai mumbled, confused. "The box with pictures." Inuyasha sighed. "Oh, okay." Sesshomarai replied. He pressed the buttons, eventually changing the channel. "What the......hell.....is THIS???" Sesshomarai exclaimed, a look of shock on both his and his father's face. Inuyasha and Kagome looked at the TV, and they both turned BRIGHT red. "ACCCCKKK!!!! Inuyasha!!!! I thought I told you not to let Miroku watch TV in our house?!?!?!" Kagome screamed. "He said that Sango canceled his "playboy channel", so he needed to watch ours. He said he'd give me ten cups of ramen if I let him watch it for an hour!!!!" Inuyasha yelled back. "But we aren't even supposed to HAVE that channel!!! Miroku must have ordered it SPECIAL, and put it on our bill....." Kagome growled. "Hey, the monk will be a lecherer until the day he dies." Inuyasha mumbled under his breath.  
  
Okay, that's IT for this chapter.....Miroku is STILL the biggest lecher in town....But is that REALLY a surprise? No....The surprise was Inuyara's sudden proposal to Saroko!!! The two young lovers are now engaged to be married!!!! How will they tell their families? Will Sesshomarai EVER get a girl??? For the answer to these BURNING questions, you'll have to keep on reading....And PLEASE REVIEW!!!! (puppydog eyes) Tonyf 


End file.
